Devotion
by TheChampion04
Summary: A pairing of Fem Hawke and Ketojan (Qunari Mage). Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1: The Request

Devotion

This is a romance pairing between Hawke and the Saarebas "Ketojan" which takes place at the start of the "Shepherding Wolves" mission in Dragon Age 2. It plays out as if the Saarebas were to be a companion and love interest for Hawke, since that should've been and option IN THE FIRST PLACE, or at least for THOSE of us who would've appreciated the idea. Why the hell not, right? So for those of you who would've enjoyed watching a romance with a Qunari play out, here you go.

We'll begin with the request of meeting with Sister Petrice based on the "Sheparding Wolves" mission. FYI, I bumped this mission to the beginning of Act 2 to make it work a bit more in my favor. Otherwise the story will stay true to the cannon.

Meanwhile, the tension between the Arishok, ruler of the Qunari army, and the government of Kirkwall have been weighing thin. Hawke has been lucky enough to become the candidate of playing mediator in attempts to avoid disturbing what little peace Kirkwall had left, not to mention the war brewing between the Mages and Templars. As the issues begin to fuel with controversy, Hawke is left deciding who to support, trying to make the right choices for the good of the town and the safety of her family and friends. Suddenly she is placed in a position of questioning her choices, and on her way to a revelation of the Qunari people and their beliefs.

PS: I do not own Dragon Age; its characters, and/or ideas. Also I've extracted a bit of the in-game dialogue for accuracy. And I've started this at a T rating for now and it may or may progress to higher rating later on. And this is my first published fic, so comments are welcome.

Chapter 1: The Request.

Hawke returned home from a long and arduous day up on the hill sides of Sundermount, patrolling along with one of her closest friends; a blonde haired warrior and Captain of the guard, Aveline. Hawke went to her aid in helping a fellow guardsman named Donnic who had been getting him into some trouble which was spoiling his reputation. The assignment started out simple enough in the beginning, but with Hawke's luck, and being that she knew Aveline better than most (even more than Avaline), it ended up becoming much more complex than a simple routine mission she was becoming accustomed to. It was customary these days for Hawke to follow through with the missions that Aveline gave her, and the compensation was probably the only thing that kept these tasks worth taking even if they always seemed to end up being mediocre and not necessarily worth Hawke's time. Aveline would of course thank her with much gratitude, and yet they always seemed to come with a warning to stay out of trouble. Hawke never much cared for her "much needed work" load, but Hawke respected Aveline too much as a friend to say no even after all they had endured together while traveling through Loathering, and sailing away onto refugee ships for days on end. Hawke was grateful for her shield, both had endured much loss along the way, but lately Hawke had become bored with the work she was giving her; not that Hawke had the courage to express this to her. Instead, taking on the jobs that she offered her were really just an excuse to lend a hand while earning a little bit of coin in the process.

Breathing heavily with exhaustion, Hawke sauntered into her newly found Mansion that used to belong to her family's estate in which Hawke somehow miraculously managed to buy back from the city after her fortune findings from the Deep Roads Expedition. However, even though her name was quickly becoming a word of mouth, Hawke was still a novice to High Town, and not many have horded around her for help until she moved in. She shut the front door, leaving the noises from busy streets of Hightown behind her. She set aside her mage staff up on the fixture by the entranceway, clicking it into place as she was kindheartedly greeted by her recently employed dwarven caretaker and son, Bodane and Sandal.

"Good Evenin' M'Lady! I believe there is a letter for you on your desk. A sisterly woman dropped it off here just a moment ago. She seemed very adamant that you be told about it Messer. Of course that's up to you of course." Bodane explained to Hawke.

Hawke sent an appreciative smile and a light nod towards Bodane, and saw that his boy Sandal was trying to play patty-cake with her Malbari watchdog, Bones. The Malbari was less of a watchdog and more of a second child. Bones just jumped and barked happily back and forth at his playmate. Sandal laughed and clapped, petting the hound and thanking him for such a great time. Hawke couldn't help but allow herself to laugh at the site. It was always a comfort of knowing there was still one innocent and joyful soul in such a troubled city during trying times. Sandal was such a special boy in her eyes, as well as gifted in the art of enchantments that even she had a hard time wondering how such a simple minded dwarf could possess such skills that were proven unsurmountable to her. To Hawk, he was more than precious.

"Funny Doggie!" shouted Sandal!

"Sandal! Go help M'lady and get super ready; I'm sure she's starvin' after such a trying day," Bodane calmly directed Sandal with his usual delightful and non-scolding tone.

Hawke felt slightly guilty that she made them do a majority of the house work, but Bodan had insisted on aiding her and her family for anything they needed. Hawke had thought about hiring someone to take care of kitchen duties at least, but for now Hawke had supposed it was harmless for them to take care of those tasks and remained appreciative. She was rather fond of them as if they were her family which really wasn't too far off. Bodan felt like a sweet and harmless uncle, much kinder than Gamlen, and Sandal was like having a little brother running around. It was nice having a full house to keep the silent void at bay and to keep everyone from thinking too much of all the hard times they've had.

"Dinner time, yay!" Sandal skipped off toward the kitchen while Bones whimpered and lowered his head wanting to play longer.

"Oh come now boy, you'll be able to play with him more after super," Hawke reassured her pup, giving him a generous pat on the head. Bones involuntarily wagged his tail with joy and lay down by the hearth of the fire to take a nap after his playtime with Sandal.

"Thank you Bodane, I hope you all weren't waiting up for me all this time. You could've started super without me you know," Hawke mentioned as she walked toward her message table, with her cloak flowing gracefully behind her as it brushed a slight breeze against Bondan's face.

"I know m'lady, I tried telling your Mother that, but she insisted that we never need to waste any time if in case you do decide to show up on time or not; saying that she raised you properly to know when super is ready. And despite my efforts of persuading the Mistress I'm afraid I have to agree with her," Bodane kept to a more serious tone as much as his cheerful disposition could muster to get his point across.

Hawke allowed her eyes to roll towards the back of her head at her mother's inability to let go of proper etiquette on waiting for family and guests alike and being a lady at every turn, even if she was speaking through Bodane. One could send Hawkes's Mother to the Darktown sewers and she'd still act like a bloody Queen. Hawke laughed at her own personal thought while picturing it as she opened up her mail chuckling quietly to herself.

"Speaking of Mother; Bodane, have you seen her?" Hawke asked, never leaving her eyes from flipping through her growing stack of messages.

"Why I believe she's in her bedroom Messer. I was just about to fetch her for super, but I presume she's just taking a nap," Bodane replied kindly while he began to clean up the discarded mail on the desk before her while she filtered through her mail.

"There's no need for that Bodane, let her sleep." Bodane bowed to Hawke as he noticed her concerned expression as she zeroed in and narrowed her eyes on a particular letter.

"M'lady, are you alright? You should have a bite to eat. It should be ready shortly; Sandal m'boy!" Bodane called and gestured Hawke to get to the dining area to get some food at once while attempting to tug at her wrist to follow him, but Hawke shook her head, holding her finger up in protest as she couldn't tear her eyes away from the small parchment in her hand which was stamped with the official seal of the Chantry, silently mouthing every sentence. After a good moment, Hawke's attention flashed to Bodane.

"I'm sorry Bodane I won't be joining you tonight. It seems as a Sister of the Chantry is requesting my audience. It sounds urgent and very secretive. Please tell my Mother when she wakes up that I had to go out again and not to wait up." Hawke began to rush out the door, readjusting her cloak, and grabbing her staff back off the wall.

"I apologize M'lady if this sounds too bold, but don't you think the Sister can wait till tomorrow? You look rather run down and could use the rest M'sair," Bodane's concern was always genuine and Hawke appreciated it deeply, but her stubbornness to work herself to the bone seemed to rank higher on her "To Do" list rather than her hunger at the moment. Her obsession of serving to aid the ones in need was definitely not a lie that her Mother, nor Bodane up until now, would tell her every chance they got. Even her Grey Warden friend Anders was beginning to question of her constant need of adventure; always ready to stare death in the bloody face.

"I'm sorry Bodan, I must go. Tell Sandal and Mother to go ahead and feast; you as well." Hawke threw the front door open and waved a blind farewell before Bodane could finish his sentence of "Take care and be safe". As she slammed the door hastily behind her, he noticed the official document fall to the floor by his feet. Bodane bent down to retrieve it and began reading the letter to himself:

_Serah Hawke,_

_ We have never met, but it seems that your name is making its way through Kirkwall like a plague. My name is Petrice, and I am a devoted sister to the Chantry. I am in dire need of your aid for I have a troubling matter that is of a sympathetic, as well as a pacifistic, nature. I'm desperate and have no one else I can turn to without controversy overcoming my efforts. Please, if you can lend me your assistance, a just reward will be offered in exchange. Meet me at the Old City Slums in Lowtown tonight. There is a safe house there. The door will be marked with the Chantry sigil so that you know where to find it. By the Maker please find it in your heart to help._

_By Andraste's Grace, may she lead you to eternal amity,_

_Sister Petrice._

"Maker watch over M'lady" Bodane closed the Chantry letter and placed it back on Hawke's table, Shaking his head in sorrow, and then proceeded to walk toward the kitchen to join Sandal.

Hawke had gathered her party from the Hanged Man where Isabella, Varric, and on some occasions, Anders always managed to end up there. She brought them along only because she needed a quick team, and that was where she knew where to go so late in the evening. It was past curfew and it seemed like the three of them were the most reliable for the time being. She thought about swinging by Fenris's mansion and ask for his help, but remembered he never much liked her company, or in the presence of her other mage companions, not that Hawke could handle much of her other mage influences that Hawke had accumulated in the past year. She respected him enough to take that into account, and never forced him into much aid, but every now and again he'd come along to assist whenever she needed him, allowing him to offer his particularly rare and powerful skills. She then thought about Anders since his powers were convenient for healing and he seemed to understand and even admire her Apostate rebelliousness which made working with him stress-free and useful. He seemed to have a definite soft spot for most mages, especially when it came to oppressed Apostates; Hawke in particular. There had been a few flirtatious encounters with Anders back and forth that Hawke found to be enjoyable, but remained at arm's length due to his "Justice" problem which she had found out about only after helping him at the Chantry the first night she had worked with him.

Varric, of course was a no brainer. From day one he had been her closest confidant, and managed to have her back through the thick of it all; always knowing how she was feeling and willing to be of assistance and talk whenever possible. Varric was fascinated by her talents since she arrived in Kirkwall, and as a bard, Varric was always anxious to mentally document their adventures for good storytelling later at the Hanged Man or whenever the mood struck him. Any moment with Varric was entertaining and enjoyable; he was Hawke's closest friend.

Isabella was an interesting one as well; not the sort of character Hawke had imagined having as a companion though. A duelist and an infamous pirate was definitely an unexpected twist to add to her party, and not someone she'd expect to trust with her life; not particularly common among thieves. But Hawke had helped her once, and Isabella hadn't left since meeting Hawke that night her partner Lucky had betrayed her. Maybe the fact that they were both defiant by nature was all they both needed to get along and Isabella was instantly drawn to her. The swashbuckling rogue was always ready for a fight, a party, or even to share an evening fling with which was constantly awarded to Hawke whenever she desired it. Her constant teasing was flattering and a bit tempting, but Hawke always respectfully declined her generous offers. There was no desire to explore into that territory, as much as Hawke was curious to actually see where things could lead, she had her own tastes. However, Isabella remained a close ally and was always the first to volunteer her talents to aid Hawke for anything she wished of her, and did it devotedly.

The four of them had arrived at the old city slums in Lowtown, and walked through the alley ways, searching for the marked door. Varric and Isabella were swapping rogue stories a few steps ahead, laughing and acting ridiculous, while Anders followed closely beside Hawke; staff in hand, and ready for any surprises. One could never tell what madness lurked in Lowtown so late at night and Hawke could see at the corner of her eye that Anders watched her closely, and couldn't help but feel some soft butterflies flutter in her stomach by his subtle growing affections for her. However, Hawke was a bit unsure of him and his unfortunate possession called "Justice", who was the vengeful spirit he had encountered in Amaranthine during a Grey Warden mission that ended up with Justice merging with Anders as a loyal favor and as a friend to the spirit he came to understand. He never talked about much of the details, which made Anders a bit difficult to read at times. It was an admiral act, of course, but it certainly made the Warden Mage _very_ unpredictable. Anders had cheated fate by meshing with a spirit, and Hawke wasn't sure what to think or do about it; if there was even anything one _could_ do. Despite knowing the truth about the Warden, they have shared common morals, values, and beliefs that she trusted him enough to remain by her side at least for the time being until she had more time to analyze him better. Anders reluctantly chimed in, interrupting Hawke's dedicated train of thought and breaking her concentration in searching the alleyways of Lowtown.

"So we're looking for a door with the Chantry Sigil? I can't imagine something like that being too hard to find? But somehow it seems that it's taking longer than anticipated. Are you sure she said to meet her here?" Anders asked as he took remedial glances around the dark streets of the lower city.

Hawke paused suddenly, stopping in her tracks and catching Anders off guard as he quickly turned back around. The night was clear enough for the moon to cast enough light to notice the safe house door that Petrice had described in her note, making Hawke feel confident and determined enough to keep looking. Her trust in others had begun to be questioned by her teammates as of late, especially after her dealings with the Gang Leader Dougal who had made a deal to help finance her expedition into the Deep Roads the year before which nearly cost her own mother's head. Yet, somehow they kept putting their doubts aside and continued to trust and follow Hawke's instructions.

"That is what she said in her note Anders," Hawke responded with earnest. Just as Hawke turned to Anders she saw it; a Chantry marking of the sunrise reflecting the moonlight behind Anders in the distance. "There it is!"

Her eyes lit up as she walked passed Anders with determination and eagerness. She had gotten so close to him it seemed as though Hawke was about to run right into him, lightly grabbing his arm so as not to bump directly into him. He had nearly begun to blush at just the slightest touch from her, breathing in her sent as she walked passed; it felt like heaven to him. He shrugged it off, and gained back his focus to follow her lead. She walked up to the door while Anders stopped next to her as he looked over at her.

"Do we just walk in?" Anders asked not exactly sure what to expect.

"Has the Warden never heard of manners?" Hawke replied teasingly and began knocking softly at the door.

There was no answer.

"It is I, Serah Hawke; I came here to meet with Sister Petrice," Hawke called against the door as firmly as possible, but there was no answer, "Hello?" There was still no answer.

Hawke looked up at Anders as he just shrugged in puzzlement. Suddenly Hawke pried the door opened with as much force as she could assemble, making the wood crack from days of misuse and corrosion from the coastal weather. There was now a Templar standing at the doorway which nearly had both Anders and Hawke take a startling few steps back, but the Templar simply stood in a threatening stance. Both Anders and Hawke hesitated after seeing the Templar, with the rest of her party following closely behind her. They were now getting their heads in the game in case the mission turned sour being that Templars seemed to always be a fifty-fifty chance of being forbearing. Hawke and her companions stood in the chilly safe house looking around for any signs of their potential client. Hawke watched the Templar's attack stance, which suddenly raised her suspicions a bit, wondering why on Thedas a Templar was even present, but she refrained from showing her true feelings. Hawke had a gift of reading most people, and sensed when situations seemed fishy. However, it was moments just like this one that just made her more curious as to what could possibly happen. If someone was trying to cross her she'd find out eventually and simply take them out; one less evil doer to deal with. She couldn't bear the thought of letting evil roam around and terrorizing Kirkwall. Hawke winced at the hired guard and was anxiously waiting to meet Sister Petrice.

"Is that how to treat an invited guest? Where _are_ your manners? I believe a Sister Petrice is expecting me," Hawke's sarcastic etiquette surprised everyone in the room. She could feel her party members eyes roll to the back of their heads as Hawke always found joy in taunting those who were threatened by her especially when it came to intimidating Templars. This particular Templar finally stood up straight and looked over at his client in the dark shadows of the complex.

The holy woman materialized out of the darkness and was wearing the standard black Chantry robes, dressed with golden embroidery of the Chantry designs sewn into them. Her hair was a snowy blond and cropped shorter and much more elegantly groomed than Hawkes. Petrice stood much taller and prouder than most Sisters of the faith, almost menacing in a way. Her body language did not read religious but rather business like; almost too professional to be of the cloth, and her facial expressions seemed cold and shifty. Hawke raised an eyebrow at her and began to stare her down to study her features and body language a bit more to better understand her situation. Her aura began to read untrustworthy as Hawke gave Varric and the rest of her party members her secret hand cue of "keep your guard up" in case anything were to drastically change for the worst. Petrice motioned for her bodyguard to stand down; he obliged as he lowered his sword, and stood back by the door. Hawke kept her eye directly on the Sister.

"So you must be Petrice." Hawke assumed with a slight bit of sass as she placed a hand on her hip and putting away her staff behind her.

"Yes I am Sister Petrice, and I thank you so much for coming. I apologize for the harsh and apprehensive welcome, but this matter is delicate and I'm in desperate need of someone with somewhat limited notoriety who will not link this task to me," Petrice went right down to business and Hawke became intrigued even more. The steadiness in her voice did seam nervous, but not sure if it was the fear of Hawke rejecting her proposal or if Hawke could see right through her already transparent motives.

"I'm listening," Hawke crossed her arms and shifted her wait to one side, "So what is it that you need from me?"

"It is an escort. But I feel you would find that the nature of the party to be a bit unique," Petrice began. Hawke kept her eyebrow raised with anticipation on who exactly she meant for her to escort.

"If this escort service is criminal I already have enough problems." Hawke shot back, waving her hand casually as if she was not buying into the task the Sister had to offer, but Petrice wasn't ready to take no for an answer just yet.

"I should think you will have a bit more," She motioned her affiliate to come out to meet Hawke.

Suddenly the jaws began to drop around the room, and everyone's eyes began to widen in disbelief. Hawke had expected nothing of this nature at all, and yet managed to keep her shock at bay. A twist of fate had raised the hairs on the back of her spine, but kept her stance firm. The dark and lingering shadow had casted itself over her, as she began looking up at the eight foot tall creature of the Qun. She knew immediately that it was a Qunari Mage; no doubt about that. Hawke began to feel her heart pound in her chest wildly with enthusiasm, not expecting to run into a job of such powerful magnitude. She stared long at the Qunari mage and then pierced a look at Sister Petrice immediately with appropriate intrigue.

"This is my burden of charity Serah Hawke," Petrice proclaimed.

"Ho-ly Shit!" Isabella cursed suddenly, not realizing how loud her mental whisper escaped her expression. Hawke shot Isabella a backwards glance of disgust, "What?" Isabella asked, but Hawke looked back at Petrice and the enormous Qunari Mage before her.

"I can't imagine a Templar would bind a mage like this," Petrice asked rhetorically as she walked up to her "charity case" as she called him. Hawke allowed Petrice to continue as she looked up at him; he was looking down at her silently and motionless which made her knees almost give out, "He is a survivor in fighting against his Tal-Vashoth outcasts. I call him 'Ketojan; a bridge between worlds'. The Viscount and the rest of his advisors believe that peace begins with appeasement. This mage would likely be returned to his brutal kin. I believe he can serve a better purpose. I want him free," There was a sudden desperation in her voice that sounded genuine enough, but if Hawke could put on a believable and convincing act, so could a Chantry Sister. Hawke kept quiet in order to continue listening to Petrice's request.

Petrice turned to face Hawke again, "He must be guided out of the city without alerting his people or be seen in my care." Petrice concluded, awaiting any questions or response from Hawke.

"I've had dealings with the Qunari Leader; surely they would like to be informed of this," Hawke was being honest about that at least.

Meetings with the Arishok had been tense and not easy by any means, but Hawke had managed to form an alliance with Him and his rather sizable army that would otherwise be impossible for anyone outside the Qun. She didn't want to risk the Arishok's trust since that had been a feat within itself. Hawke was not about to throw all that effort away for some suspicious Chantry woman with a clear angle and some Apostate Qunari mage who needed a way out of the city. No, this all screamed trouble, and Hawke was incredibly thankful that she didn't seek help from either Fenris or Aveline. Nor did Hawke want to risk getting her hands dirty with the Kirkwall government since the Viscount had placed his trust with her in the past as well. Having both the Arishok and the Viscount in a good standing with her was very promising in hopes to gain peace between them for now if not from now on. Somehow, this undertaking that Hawke was presented with meant nothing but risks with consequences for her and her group. Hawke awaited a good enough reason for accepting this outlandish task, and the mentioning of Hawke's interactions with the Arishok had given Petrice a bit of astonished curiosity.

"You…have….Dealt with their Leader?" Petrice asked in amazement, "If you've had dealings with the Qunari, then I'm sure you are aware of what they do to those who abandon their _heathen_ order? The Arishok would surely doom this poor creature and punish him by death. However, knowing them is useful. Challenging you and attacking an ally would only confirm their barbarism. Knowing this only makes you more right for the task. You understand them and should know why I am so adamant about my Ketojan's escape from this."

"If you are so passionate about this and care of his wellbeing, why haven't you brought your concern to the Chantry? Surely you have enough connections with your fellow Sisters," Hawke showed through her expression of her dislike of this entire deal from the moment she first saw the broken beast, eyeballing him from head to toe, purposely encouraging Petrice's anxiety of convincing Hawke of her arrangement just a bit further, even though Hawke had already decided what she was going to decide.

"My order will soon realize that the Qunari presence is more than a test of Faith. It is an open challenge, but for now I must act on my own," Petrice continued to reason, while Hawke kept listening intently, "Helping this Mage shows that Qunari heresy should not be ignored. His liberation is vital."

Sister Petrice was putting on a spectacular performance, and Hawke looked over at Anders for his views on the matter, for his stance on mages and their persecutions were tender and surely he must be convinced of Sister Petrice's request. But his look said otherwise, and had matched hers. Was he not buying Petrice's allegations either? Or was he thinking about something else? Anders caught Hawks questionable stare and went from unsure to a definite shake of the head. Looking at Isabella was like looking at a child in a candy store, and Varric simply looked up at Hawke with a convinced smile, ready to take on whatever Hawke decided to face. Hawke didn't like the taste or sound of this task entirely, but was finding it hard to refuse. Hawke needed to know more, so she kept prodding.

"Is freedom for _'Ke-to-jan'_ really the answer? Living an exiled life away from the Qun and all he knows seems…doubtful," Hawke managed to spew out a lie that only Hawke could conger up.

Of course a mage's independence was justifiable, but then again, equally as dangerous. Hawke was clever enough to understand that, but she couldn't deny even a Qunari mage that right. Glancing over at the Qunari mage again, and with more meaning this time, He carried an immense sense of dignity, standing almost two heads taller than Hawke even though she was built taller than most women. He also wore a mask of gold over his eyes which were tied to what was left horns which had been torn off. The Qunari Mage's mouth had also been grotesquely sewn shut with a thick black thread, and wore a heavy leather-bound collar over his shoulders that were once chained to whoever controlled him. She had once heard about how the Qunari treated their mages, and had battled a few in the past with much salvaged efforts, but had never actually seen one so close before. It was becoming almost heartbreaking to look at him for too long. He almost looked like a punished and beaten down dog that had just broken out of his cage, and just another reminder at how the world feared those who were granted the gift of magic. Hawke suddenly felt sympathy for this "Ketojan" giving him a brief expression of her own sorrows, but her feelings were interrupted by Petrice again and looked away from the Qunari for a brief moment, suddenly finding it difficult to tear her eyes away from him.

"And yet that is more than he has. My reach is limited and his struggle is his own, Serah Hawke," Petrice nearly began to beg.

"It just seems like releasing a bird, cage and all," Hawke's concerns were becoming genuine now as her eyes would continue to glance up at the creature. Her act began to turn into truth, as it did normally when confronting other struggling Apostates. Saying this, she could feel Anders eye her narrowly and questioning her motives again. She knew she had made a good point, and Anders was more than aware of what Hawke wanted which was liberation for all mages, just as he did. He anxiously waited for Hawke's decision to be made.

"We do what we can to step toward what is right. Surely being a mage yourself, you'd feel the same way, Serah Hawke," Petrice declared as if reading her mind.

"Do you actually care who you're hiring?" Hawke said buying herself a bit of time to aggravate the Sister to expose her just a bit more, and confident in herself to get the job done quicker than expected.

"There are rumors of your throughout Kirkwall, but if you were truly important enough to know I would need someone else. You're name tells me that you must be from Ferelden. The southern regions aren't familiar with Qunari issues and have not seen their true nature to have much of an opinion on the matter. But your name is strong and even more convincing to me that you're right for the job."

Hawke took another passing glance at the chained Qunari, and noticing the brute's rather enormous size and his appearance was definitely a bit on the noticeable side. He would surely stick out like a sore thumb, and Hawke found it hard to figure out how exactly to give him safe passage through Lowtown at night without being seen at all. Hawke's conscience had overweighed her ability to pass up on such a risky request, but her feelings on mage liberation had also begun to surface onto the waters of her morals. If this Qunari mage truly wanted to be freed from his shackles then who was she to deny him of that, Qunari or not? He was no less of a free being as she, Anders, Merrill, or any other mage in Kirkwall. Then, suddenly, somehow, and even behind his mask, Hawke began to feel The Qunari's eyes stare down at her, which felt strange at first, but then reassuring her that helping him to freedom was undoubtedly the right choice. Hawke switched her grin to one side and turned to Petrice to give her consent to help, without even consulting her comrades. Hawke was now too determined to aid the mage.

"I will help him escape, but…how exactly would I be able to go about doing this? Isn't he a bit too conspicuous to be lead through the streets of Lowtown?" Hawke now felt excited underneath her exterior, but still unsure of how to go about doing it. She had to ask Petrice of what made her think this would be possible, but where there's a will there's a way. Petrice smiled for the first time, which was almost frightening, and obviously thrilled of the fact that she could keep her job as a trusted Chantry Sister. Hawke put a hand on her hip with slight irritation of that fact.

"Yes, we cannot have him be seen by the guard or anyone. I have already arranged a secret passage through the Undercity just past the corridor to your left. Granted there are other obstacles in the way, but not important enough to interfere with our plan, but you must hurry. There had already been rumors floating around Lowtown that a Sister has been asking for favors about an escort deal, which doesn't bode well for me already, but I need this task played out regardless of that fact. Otherwise I would've just taken him myself, but it's too risky for me to do that now."

Hawke began to get even more annoyed with Petrice. First she can't take him to avoid being seen; now all of the sudden there's a secret passage that she cannot take herself due to rumors about her asking around for help. And why should the Sister risk her involvement, what made Petrice any more important than even someone like her? "This is just great" Hawke said to herself. Something about this still didn't sit right with her. Suddenly she felt the nudge of an elbow dig in at her sides for her attention. She peered over her shoulders and saw that Anders was motioning for her attention and to huddle to discuss the matter at hand. Hawke shook her head to dismiss it, and waved him away. Hawke didn't have much time to discuss the matter further. Even if Petrice was up to no good; that in itself was more of a reason to do it so that she could figure out what was really going on, and find out why it had to be such a secret of why the Sister was remotely involved. Hawke only assumed Petrice's involvement would be soon revealed eventually. In any case, Hawke was reluctant to ignore Anders and accept the task.

"Hawke!" Anders whispered harshly, but Hawke chose to ignore his desperate attempt for her attention. Anders's patience was becoming minimal and now on the verge of irritation that Hawke just ignored him. He grunted with anger and stood down.

Hawke walked up to the Qunari while Anders just watched with impatient annoyance and yet, partial intrigue. Ketojan so much taller than her and his body was as wide as the Arishok's, and was covered in blood red Qunari markings. He only wore a rather ornate mage's shanti just below his prominently muscular torso and his arms dressed with aged golden enchanted gauntlets marked with foreign Qunari runes. Hawke looked up at his face again and saw that he looked saddened and had a slight eagerness in his temples. It had nothing to do with Petrice or the battle between the Viscount and the Arishok. All the Apostate Qunari really seemed reluctantly eager to get out of Lowtown and seemed a bit tense, but Hawke figured it was from his own nervousness getting the best of him. "Huh" Hawke's epiphany sparked within her inner thoughts. Even the most powerful Qunari can have feelings of doubt, couldn't they? The room was quiet as they watched Hawke stand next to the brute with such bravery and concern; taking in all of his features.

"So, Ketojan is it?" She finally conjured up the strength to speak to him, "You want me to lead you out of this retched place and be truly free of your Qunari brothers?" Hawke felt this question was appropriate, but instead of a nod, all he could give her was low gargling, grunting, and other muddled tones as if he wanted to speak back to her, actually answer her regardless that his mouth was clearly sewn shut. It had genuinely surprised Hawke and everyone else in the room, making it only more suspicious and ironic. He could've simply nodded his head, but the noises from his own lungs proved to Hawke that it was in fact true, but something else was going on; a warning of some kind. She then sensed that Ketojan knew of Hawke's doubts and knew exactly how to exchange communication without giving her suspicions away to Petrice because even she could sense something. Maybe it was the fact that the two of them were both mages and that they could understand each other, and sense each other's feelings and concerns. It was definitely something to look into later.

"And THAT is why smoking is bad for you." Isabella had to have the last laugh, but Hawke just shot her a look of disapproval, making Isabella shrug in disappointment. Hawke was not in the mood for the comedian. Isabella rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "You're no fun." Isabella commented softly under her breath.

"It has been difficult to get much information. But look at him!" Petrice motioned towards Ketojan with her own prejudice, "Who would want this? We must have that much in common?"

As much as Hawke wanted to cringe at the Sister's insensitive comment, Hawke managed to preserve her composer even though it was becoming clear that Petrice could care less about this creature. "Alright then let's go before anyone else comes knocking at the door."

"Again, I thank you for your help. If or when you complete this task, I will forward you your payment, but only until he is out of the city. Good luck." Petrice and Hawke parted ways with an accepting handshake as Hawke and her party made their way to the Undercity with Ketojan following closely behind her.


	2. Chapter 2: The Escape Through the Under

Devotion

Again, I do not own Dragon Age; its characters, and/or ideas and I've extracted a bit of the in-game dialogue for accuracy.

Chapter 2: The Escape Through the Under City.

Getting through the Under City was not as simple as Hawke had expected. Her party had to endure some rather oversized and agitated cave spiders. Complex traps had also created a bit of an obstacle for the four of them, and thanks to Varric and Isabella, Hawke and her friends were able to get through a majority of snares without much difficulty. They then had proceeded down a long hallway that was laced in more traps than before, which took some time for Varric and Isabella to disarm. Anders took this pause in the game as a chance to exchange some words with Hawke of his concerns about their current quest threw the sewers.

"Hawke, do you have a second?" Anders attempted to ask politely in hopes she would take the time.

Hawke was just staring ahead, keeping watch over Ketojan contently as he stood waiting patiently to begin moving forward again, "I have many seconds at the moment? Depending on the nature of the time you would like to spend with them," Hawke decided to tease Anders a bit since there was obviously not much time to waste as she leaned against the barren walls with her arms crossed, still unable to keep herself from eyeing the Qunari Mage. She cornered a smile a bit, never leaving Ketojan out of her site as Anders stood across from her, wondering to himself of why she wouldn't stop staring at Ketojan, assuming she was simply keeping a keen eye on him.

"Seriously, Hawke do you really think this is wise for us to be doing this?" Anders asked as he found himself in eye contact with the Chained creature a few feet away from them.

Hawke had a feeling he was going to question her decisions per usual, and should've known better than to allow it since there wasn't much of an option to turn back now that they were nearly at the exit of the sewers, or so she was hoping was the case. Annoyingly she let out a sigh and answered, "Silly Anders; don't you trust me?"

"Hawke, Please?" Before Anders could continue, Hawke interrupted him, putting her hand up as a sign for him to refrain from speaking, "Why won't you just stop ignoring me for once and listen to what I have to say?"

"Why can't you just trust me Anders? Have I ever given you a reason to doubt me now?" Hawke altercated, daring Anders to mention the name Dougal or worse, mention her brother Carver who was sent away to the Grey Wardens after falling ill of the Blight while Hawke carelessly allowed her younger brother to accompany her on the Expedition into the Deep Roads, not to mention what Anders didn't know about the gruesome death of her sister Bethany before they left Loathering. Hawke shook her head to rid herself of remembering her dark past, not in the mood to brood over all her misfortunes, yet Anders seemed adamant about reasoning with her on how overzealous her jobs were becoming; perilous and overambitious.

"This just doesn't feel right. Did Petrice not seem untrustworthy to you? Could you not sense that? And 'Ketojan' is a _Saarebas _of the Qun. He's dangerous and Qunari are not the type to allow their '_Qun'_ to be simply abandoned. You know how much they hunt the Tal'Vashoth. The Qunari are too allegiant and extremely powerful even with only one at your disposal; they are power houses. You could be his own mother and if he even thought his precious order was compromised he'd be sure to kill you without a second thought," Anders finally voiced with underlining intolerance.

"And that's exactly why I took the job," Hawke snapped back after finally allowing to hear Anders's point of view. Anders didn't have anything to counter with other than the patience of waiting for more of an explanation, "Look at him, Anders. He's been tortured and chained like a wild animal by his own people," She began, whispering with empathy and trying not to make it too obvious that she and Anders were talking about Ketojan as he stood patiently close by. Anders obeyed and took a good long look at Ketojan as requested, "That's exactly what you and I are fighting to prevent from happening; to you, me, Merril, and others like us. He's the example of everything you and I stand against, Anders. We fight to prevent this. Qunari or not Ketojan needs our help. I don't believe he's a tyrant like the rest of his brethren. He may have his own beliefs and standards, so that makes him no different than you or I. There's no reason to fear him..." Anders gave her a look of guilt, feeling a bit caught in his own prejudice and still not quite convinced despite her efforts to persuade his original concerns. Anders hunched over while Hawke looked up at him with disappointment of him doubting her.

"I-I'm sorry," Anders looked at Ketojan, who was looking right at them, but then looked away the moment Anders caught his stare, "I just don't want to see you get hurt. There I said it; I won't say it again," Anders spoke honesty as he walked forward to meet up with Varric and Isabella. His patience with Hawke was breaching its point of becoming too personal to bring up at times like this. Before it could go any further, Hawke put a hand on his arm, and Anders looked at her with confusion and concern.

"C'mon Anders, we've been through much worse situations…well…sort of," Hawke's attempt to reassure Anders was broken from a sudden fountain of fire which sprayed out of the ceiling above them. Hawke and Anders were both launched back somehow, but just in time to not get scorched to death, knocking Hawke back to slam against the body of the Qunari who had begun to follow them.

"Whoa! Look out!" Varric shouted from down the hall.

"Sorry that was my bad!" must've missed that one!" Isabella called out.

Ketojan hadn't moved from his spot, as Hawke shook her head from the sudden blast of energy that caused her to fly back. It took her a moment to realize whose hands were placed firmly on her shoulders so that she couldn't fall onto her back while unfortunately Anders had. Ketojan's hands could almost be paldrons on her, as Hawke took a moment to look up at the towering Qunari who had just saved the two of them from getting singed. Anders shook his head nearly praying that they don't witness any more close calls, not realizing in the slightest that what had just happened Anders shook it off and continued to venture forward, laughing at Varric and Isabella while criticizing their efforts of hacking traps. Hawke was left gazing up behind her at Ketojan, wondering to herself if that blast came from him. She wasn't positive, but the way he was holding her shoulders made Hawke wonder for a moment. She raised an eyebrow at the Qunari mage, readjusted herself back to steady her feet, and gave a grateful nod at the supposedly untamed monster before her. Hawke turned, only now hoping that she was right about what she had spoken to Anders about just seconds ago.

"I can't imagine where the humor is in that," Hawke heard Anders call out sarcastically from up ahead which was a good distraction from Ketojan who now followed her, and closer than before as she could hear his heavy breath and felt his heavy footsteps making her just a bit nervous; a feeling she hadn't predicted.

"Is that all of them Varric?" Hawke called back, trying to ignore Ketojan now instead of being the only thing in the sewers she couldn't strain her attention away from.

"That's it! It's clear! You have my word," Varric motioned them to come fourth.

Anders continued without Hawke, leaving her a few steps behind, looking back at her with a smile that turned weak as he saw how close the Qunari actually was to her now. Feeling ultimately curious to ease her own tension, Hawke began to walk more slowly, pacing her quick steps to match Ketojan's, who had remained silent and somehow seemed a bit unsteady with her next to him as an equal. He grunted at her and Hawke smiled, "Don't pay too much attention to Anders; he just doesn't understand you or the Qunari. Even when people share the same philosophies, they still may fall victim to the inability to understand those who are different," Hawke looked up at Ketojan who seemed to be exchanging a glance down at her as she gave him a soft grin in return, "You can trust me Ketojan; I will get you out of here," Hawke promised.

Hawk and the rest of her group arrived at a clearing in the sewers. The air had become less unpleasant to inhale which was the first sign that the exit was nearby. There was a light sent of sand and salt water which stirred through the atmosphere only to tell Hawke that this passage lead to the Wounded Coast just as Petrice had said; thankfully. However, she brought her group to a sudden halt when she noticed a group of men standing in a line blocking their way out of the sewers. The Strange men were heavily equipped and wore light armor, and were ready to take on anything or anyone who passed by. Hawke only figured these men were Under City thugs who guarded the exits for an easier strategy for mugging anyone who wanted to escape this route. Cheap thugs who lurked in the sewers didn't weigh kindly on Hawke's integrity; neither did their intentions towards most apostates who were the highest majority of innocent lives trying to escape through secret passages like this one, and fail doing so. Hawke did not have the patience for it. She signaled her group to be on their toes and watch their backs. Hawke stood up straight and proceeded towards the men with a sense of dignity and a snarky disposition. Whenever she ran into situations like this Anders would be the one who would normally walk beside her, but this time she felt heavier steps follow hers. She saw from her peripherals that Ketojan strode alongside her, and instantaneously felt a sense of devotion and protection throughout her body, which was a feeling she hadn't had much of lately if ever, considering her independent behavior. It was so foreign to her it was almost rejuvenating. No feeling of this magnitude had ever happened with Anders or any of her other companions before. She began thinking that Ketojan was no ordinary Qunari or Mage. Hawke and the rest of her team reached the bandits and Hawke saw one of them step forward to meet her. He was clearly their "leader" standing proud and pompously at Hawke.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?" Their leader spoke with a scratchy Under City accent that escaped his breath and passed through his dirt covered mustache. His devious eyes were evil and yellowed from musky cave air and lack of sunlight. The Bandit's Leader looked capable of being difficult, but his demeanor was over confident and overcome with greed and malice. Hawke kept proceeding to pass them, but the man refused her to move any further, shoving Hawke with his hand, and pushed her backwards. She felt her muscles tense up, but Hawke remained calm and unyielding, "Now hold on sweetheart, no one passes us without a generous donation. We get enough of the lot like you with desperation and coin to be willing to offer it if needed. " She saw his eye linger over at Isabella and then at her, and then suddenly over at Ketojan while seeing dollar signs dance inside his yellow eyeballs. Anders had his staff in his grasp, seeing that justice caused his palms to glow blue. Varric seemed unnerved yet confident as always; his hand ready to wield Bianca at any given moment. Ketojan just stood silently next to Hawke with his arms at his sides. The Leader began staring Ketojan down with adverse plotting gearing up in his brain. Hawke's defenses stirred in her gut, "And what's this thing you have here?" He taunted towards the Qunari, "Collared like a dog lord's bitch!" Hawke winced with anger at this malicious fiend that was less of a man. Her eyes locked onto his as he continued to sneer at Hawke, "What are you then, some kind of slut Qunari lover?" Those words made the blood in her veins boil with anger, but kept her dignified stance, "Maybe I should get rid of you; see who's willing to pay the most for your pet."

The confidence that rang in his voice clouded his judgments and made him careless and idiotic. Did he not know or care of the possibility of his inevitable demise? Without warning, Ketojan reacted to the insulting words that were aimed at Hawke and let out a threatening growl at the criminal, stepping in a subtle attack position like a threatened bear. His growling was deep, and was meant to be threatening, yet somehow caused everyone in the room to recoil with anxiety. Hawke looked at Ketojan, trying hard not to act surprised by his sudden act of protection as he positioned himself to guard her. It was not what she was expecting at all. He looked like a wolf ready to seize anyone who decided to step any closer to her. The Leader's right hand and the rest of his band of thieves started to quiver and began to warn his boss out of fear of the defensive creature.

"Uh, Boss I don't think he likes you threatening his Master, and I don't like the way he's looking at us," the henchman's spoke with fear shaking his speech. His boss just looked at him as if he was simply a coward, "Maybe we should make an exception and let this one pass." The Leader ignored his lackey's warning, and mistakenly stepped towards Hawke and Ketojan anyway.

"I'd listen to that one, not sure what that smart fellow is doing with the likes of you," Hawke warned, stepping slightly in front of Ketojan as a way of reciprocating her act of defender rather than protecting an investment. Ketojan remained in his position. The leader was not letting his guard down. He was as determined to fulfill his motives as Hawke was.

"People like you carry yourself like you think your so damn right, running topside around the free marches and then force the rest of us to carry on in the sewers trying to make every piece of coin count; scavenging like rats. You want us all to be bound as much as this thing," He detracted his blade and motioned to Hawke, getting infuriated as he gave his speech of politics. He was just too passionate for his own good. Hawke admired a passionate individual, but not when they resulted in reckless violence just to prove a point. That was just mindless terrorism to Hawke, and it seemed as though this high strung bandit was deciding to make an example of them, "I'd rather see you dead first mage!"

Right at that very moment, and before the head thug could take a quick plunge into Hawke's throat; he, his right hand, and a few others of his gang were thrown back by a huge jolt of energy, causing the thugs to fly back, and hit the ground hard just as Hawke and Anders did back in the tunnels only this one did much more damage than she had ever seen before. It was clear that the direction of the blast came from Ketojan, as Hawke saw his arms resonate with kinetic energy, and he was breathing steadily in a rhythm that whispered with majestic patterns; a sound that only mages were trained with. Much effort and a lifetime of practice in breathing exercises granted mages such high skills of casting spells of that degree, and this particular Saarebas was extremely powerful and well trained, more than she had ever seen from a Qunari Mage. Hawke was mystified and at the same time quite impressed. Hawke looked at the victims scattered around the dirt floor of the sewers, seeing that some were having trouble getting back up and others who remained still on the ground; motionless and not breathing. "Ketojan really did a number on them" Hawke thought to herself. The rest of the party knew that this was the moment of battle, getting ready for another wave of hostiles. The right hand man struggled onto his feet and pointed to Ketojan with a desperate order that had changed Hawke's mind of him being their smartest member.

"By the VOID! Kill it! Kill them all now!" He shouted.

Hawke and everyone began to battle with the remaining group of thieves. Hawke heard the noises of blades clashing all around her and began catching glimpses of Isabella disappear and reappear while cutting the men's throats and stabbing them at their week points. Anders had run to a safer distance along with Varric while Anders healed them and Varric pierced targets with millions of flying arrows from Bianca. Hawke then found Ketojan and Herself back to back casting physical spells at their opponents as they stepped ferociously in a circle, shifting and using each other's magical powers as a way to fuel their spells, acting in unison as if it were a choreographed dance. There was one moment that Hawke noticed that had Ketojan leaning over her while barely being an inch away from her to sojourn a dagger from flying into her skull. He was glowing in a golden aura that Hawke could feel encompass around her which felt warm and almost uplifting. Even though it was a customary for mages to have glowing auras while casting magic spells, the feeling of Ketojan's incase around her felt intoxicating, causing her to breath heavily with adrenalin and almost blocking the entire world leaving only her and the Qunari to stand together. The fight felt like it led on for a while, and Hawke's determination to rid of this obstacle rose. As much as it felt exhilarating to fight with Ketojan, it was still brought upon by his unpredicted actions. Anders was right, but surely something else was stirring in his mind other than mindless violence, so was this Saarebas really mechanical?

All the men were forced down, dead, for reasoning with them was pointless from the start. Hawke and her team gained back their equanimity and joined together as Hawke remained closely beside Ketojan who kept glowing vibrantly. She looked up at him with amazement, but with a subtle nervousness. Anders was surprisingly quiet and remained cautious as he watched Hawke continue to marvel at Ketojan. Surely Hawke thought this would've been the moment to bring him down, and forget this whole mission never started, and just tell Petrice they failed and go their separate ways, but somehow this mission was becoming personal as she saw a sudden expression appear on Hawke's face that he had never seen before, but it was quickly relinquished the moment Hawke shook her head out of her own daze and reacted to what had just transpired between them.

"Stand down Ketojan, they've been taken care of. There's no danger anymore," Hawke spoke firmly at the towering Mage before her. Ketojan breathed deeply over Hawke and stood up straight with caution, while his glowing aura faded away, leaving Hawke watching in amazement from him doing as she instructed. Confused by this, Hawke began to question him, "Did you react because you're lead was threatened? What's with the outburst?" Ketojan growled in response to her questions and as usual, Hawke couldn't comprehend it, and questioned him further, "How much of this is blind instinct I wonder?" Hawke said her thoughts out loud to Ketojan, but he made no effort to respond while her party remained at a safer distance. After a moment went by, Hawke was lost in thought, Ketojan growled and snarled again, but Hawke was unsure of the meaning of it. Was it anger, retaliation, explanation, or any other method of reasoning or form of communication? He was less threatening now than before, and wasn't attacking her now, so in retrospect she knew that he must've been saying something along the lines of an explanation or possibly an apology. The language barrier that she and Ketojan were experiencing was becoming difficult to stand for very much longer. Hawke was attempting at a solution.

"He sure does pack a wallop," Varric said impressively.

"I know you're unable to speak, but you couldn't just gesture or stomp your feet twice for 'yes' or something?" Hawke asked wittily, but Ketojan could only offer her the similar grumble like before.

"The Sister has accumulated much from just a few grunts and twitches. We should really be wary of him Hawke," Anders advised cautiously, but Hawke completely ignored him.

"You did what I said. You listened to me and followed me. Did I say the right word or something?" She looked at Ketojan and he grunted a little bit more softly, but every bit as confusing as the last few times, "Right, I would've expected that kind of an answer." Hawke crossed her arms and spoke to Ketojan as if telling a child the rules of keeping their hands away from the sweets jar, "Keep control Ketojan and remember who is on your side," Hawke was reassured by another soft grunt that sounded almost compliant, "Right, let's move on now shall we," Hawke proceeded forward as the rest of them followed took a moment to process what had just happened.

They reached the passage opening to the fresh air of the coast. Hawke and Ketojan were the first to step out and onto the Cliffside, staring out towards the ocean and rocks that incased the coasts of Kirkwall, taking in the blissful moment of the freedom that was promised to the Qunari Mage. The rest of her party followed them out onto the hillside pathway, while their moment of tranquility was interrupted, noticing another group. This time it was not a ban of simple minded thugs, but a handful of Qunari soldiers seeming to have been waiting for them for a good long time. "Shit!" Hawke cursed under her breath and lead her group towards them without much choice. The Qunari group didn't seem very attack ready, as though they were only there to take what was "rightfully" theirs. She met up to greet them, as Hawke felt Ketojan stand carefully near her as if to act as her shield again, but something caused him to resist this time which seemed to unnerve Hawke. The helmeted leader of this group stepped forward, standing almost as tall as Ketojan but much more equipped and well-armed. His body was painted immensely, showing he outranked the rest of them, and had horns almost as long as the Arishok's. This warrior ranked very high and she knew better than to act coy with him. The secret to winning the heart of a Qunari, Hawke found, was to act purposeful and proud; never to boast or banter with over confidence. "Think like a Qunari" Fenris would tell her whenever she brought him along to speak with the Arishok. That was when Fenris was most helpful. It was that moment she would've wished she had brought him along for this joy ride. Maybe he could make sense of all this madness. However dealing with the fact that Ketojan was a mage, probably would've made it as difficult. Hawke shook her head from the fact and stood up straight again. The Qunari leader finally spoke.

"You will hold Basra Vashedan," The Captain said firmly, but unthreatening which seemed to intrigue Hawke slightly, "I am Arvaarad, and I claim possession of Saarebas at your heal." Hawke took a quick glance up at Ketojan. Suddenly her heart began to beat wildly. Her thoughts were inconveniently accurate; they wanted Ketojan and to take him away. Something within Hawke's heart was telling her she wasn't going to let that happen, "The members of his Karataam were killed by Tal Vashoth, but their disposal only leads to here; the Saarebas and You."

Suddenly Hawke realized she was being accused of something and she did not hesitate to answer, "I just got here from the other way, if there was a trail; I didn't leave it," Her answer was assured because it was the truth.

"Yet you are here with Saarebas," Arvaarad added, "His crime is his freedom, the unleashing, and the knowing of Basra," He declared while Ketojan remained silent, "We will not allow that danger to continue. Let your own mages doom you while we take Saarebas to where he will be properly confined." His orders were irrevocable. Hawke looked up at Ketojan again, feeling that large knot in her throat from the thought of them taking him away from her forever. She could feel his eyes look down at her then, but she could not read them. She finally convinced herself of the sudden need to hold onto him and protect Ketojan, even from his own people. Allowing Arvaarad to take his claim would go against her agreement with the Sister, and her own beliefs of caging mages. Hawke stood her ground and couldn't help herself but defend Ketojan with every spell left in her, but found that to be a poor idea since the Arvaarad seemed to not know that she too was a "_Saarebas"_.

"And what if he doesn't want to go back?" Hawke asked the Arvaarad as everyone looked at her as if she had lost her mind. But Hawke didn't flinch and stared at the Qunari Captain, emotionless and unafraid.

Arvaarad did not respond to her asinine question, but sauntered over towards the two of them with intimidation. He stood facing Ketojan and shouted orders at him, "Saarebas! Bow and Show _this_ Basra that you're will is still bound to the Qun!"

Ketojan took a moment to kneel before Arvaarad as Hawke watched him nearly meet her eye level. Her mouth fell with sadness and wanted to tear at Arvaarad's face from behind his iron helmet for the treatment of her new acquaintance to whom she was quickly growing to care for. Ketojan growled and grunted as if he was in pain. She was beginning to feel herself understanding exactly what he was growling about because she wanted to say the same thing. Even though she could not see his face clearly, she felt his sorrow and pain nearly as her own. Her sympathy rained in over her feelings and faced Arvaarad again. The feelings behind her eyes were transparent to the Qunari Captain.

"He has only followed you because he wants to be led," Arvaarad's tone sounded genuine this time, almost sounding desperate for her to listen to reason for her well-being, as well as the others in her party, "He's been allowed no other purpose, Basra."

"My job was to get him out of Kirkwall. If he wishes to go back with you, that's his choice, but I will not force him," Hawke exclaimed, as Ketojan turned his head to look at her from behind his mask.

"You have an unusual way of reasoning Basra," Arvaarad responded with a misunderstood response of giving into his demands and began scolding Ketojan in their native tongue that Hawke was unable to translate. However, it sounded nothing but direct demands of Ketojan's arrest and sentencing that Hawke did not appreciate. Ketojan stood up facing Arvaarad, hanging his head low in shame. Hawke was bothered by this because surely Ketojan was strong enough to not give in so quickly. Ketojan growled in compliance that made Hawke want to latch onto him for dear life after suddenly remembering that feeling she felt alongside him from earlier in the sewers when fighting the thieves. It was an experience that caused her to want to keep him close. She clenched her fists tightly with rage building. Ketojan stepped forward then and let out another series of grunts at the Arvaarad.

"You are certain?" Arvaarad questioned Ketojan, which then made Hawke confused, causing her awareness to become urgently curious as to what was said, looking sharply at both Ketojan and Arvaarad. Ketojan growled back with a nod, "Then we shall do it here."

Arvaarad had pulled out an ornate rod of enchantment. Hawke watched as he whirled it toward Ketojan and a glowing mist had shot out onto Ketojan's face. There was a bright blue light which encased him along with a loud crushing noise as if hearing glass shatter into a million pieces. He fell back, stumbling on his feet a bit, and stood back up. The Saarebas shook with agitation and let out a slight growl of pain. Hawke did not know what just happened, but she was angry and tangled up in all her confused feelings of what was going on right in front of her. She kept her eyes fixed on the Saarebas as he turned to face her. Once he stood before Hawke, she was frozen still as she heard him speak clearly for the first time.

"Basvaraad, you've led well," Ketojan began to speak to her with a rich low tone that sent chills throughout Hawke's body and mind. Her eyes widened with amazement, standing there speechless and waiting to hear every word he had to say. His demeanor was calm, and could hear the gratitude in his voice. She had never heard a Qunari sound so peaceful or thankful before in her life; no tough exterior to even intimidate a child. Another feeling pierced her heart as she kept her ears open to hear more, "I thank your intent," He sounded very wise and forgiving, considering everything they had gone through together; what _he_ must've gone through his entire life, and just in such a short deration of time, "Panahadan, as you find the Qun," He bowed before her with a sense of admiration and loyalty. So this was his goodbye? Hawke wondered as his words and language were exquisite and mind-altering, but he walked away in a way that stung her heart.

Ketojan walked towards Arvaarad, leaving Hawke in disarray. She watched as he bowed and knelt down before Arvaarad as he did once before. She then remembered Fenris mentioning briefly about the Saarebas and how they are bound to a Master who controls them. That is what this Arvaarad was to Ketojan; this was him giving into his Master. So was that it? Ketojan never wanted freedom? Did he just want a way back to his brethren? But whatever was happening didn't feel justifiable to her. Arvaarad then turned to face Hawke as she watched Ketojan stand as he turned to face her with his shoulders down as if for the last time, preparing for something.

"You should feel honored by this action Basra," Arvaarad unsheathed his blade and was preparing for Ketojan's execution right there in front of her. Hawke couldn't bear it any longer. With her heart racing she sprung fourth as Arvaarad began to swing his battle axe onto Ketojan's neck. Anders held out his arm in attempts to stop her, but she was too quick for him.

"Hawke No!" Ander's shouted.

Sprinting as fast as her feet could carry her, Hawke launched herself into colliding with Ketojan to block the blow, taking a violent slash to her side in the process as her blood sprayed out onto the sand. All her weight to push Ketojan away bruised her a bit and nearly knocked the wind out of her. She wasn't thinking, but how could she? How could she just stand there and watch her friend get killed for being different, loyal, and powerful? There was no honor in that; it was supporting murder. This was the barbarism that Petrice and others had warned her of. It was wrong, and she was not about to allow some Arvaarad to do that to Ketojan as long as she had air in her lungs and blood in her veins. She found herself on top of the Saarebas as he struggled to sit up, groaning at the sudden turn of events. His hands had a grip on her by the arms as he saw that her face was centimeters away from his, practically touching as they felt each other's hearts race with adrenalin. Hawke could've sworn she could see Ketojan's eyes widen with shock from underneath his façade. It was then when a brief moment had sparked between them. Hawke then pulled away as Arvaarad shouted in anger over her blasphemous interruption, and sprang forward to attack her. Ketojan's loyalty for her had remained and realized that she had just saved his life. As if snapping him out of his allegiance to the Qun for an instant, Ketojan shoved her aside suddenly and pushed himself up off the ground, swinging his arm towards Arvaarad with a swift motion and collided into his gut with great force and used the same attack spell he had cast on the sewer thugs. This caused Arvaarad to simply stumble into a disorienting stupor for he was much more powerful and immune to the Saarebas just as Templars were. Hawke finally stood up and watched Ketojan gear up to battle with Arvaarad and then saw the Qunari Captain go in for another fatal blow. Ketojan countered the strike, but Arvaarad managed to knick Ketojan's arm instead. Ketojan then conjured up another powerful spell, releasing a wave of fireballs down onto his opponent and the rest of his Karataam. Arvaarad fell dead, as did the rest of the Qunari soldiers, and not without the help of Hawke's companions. Hawke struggled to get up from the cut she now had from Arvaarad's deadly plunge. A searing pain began to swell up along her torso as Hawke looked down at the laceration that was much deeper than she had wanted. Ketojan saw that she was about to collapse and rushed to her side, while Anders ran towards her almost in unison.

"Hawke!" Anders stood over her as Ketojan reached her first, helping her lay along the sand, holding her in one arm while applying pressure to her wound in his hand to stop the bleeding while she writhed in agony. Anders was about to use magic to heal her, but quickly noticed he was out of lyrium, and her wound was too serious to cast any minor spell on it, "Blast It! I'm out of lyrium! Maker, of all things to happen! Hold on Hawke I'll see if I can find elfroot around here."

"I-it's ok Anders," Hawked coughed trying to hold her hand up before she was nearly ready to pass out cold, which seemed to shock Anders as he witnessed Ketojan holding her close as he began to recite some incantation quietly against her forehead. His lips were nearly upon her flesh, making Hawke shut her eyes euphorically as she listened to the running water that was Ketojan's voice, allowing his spell to course through her entire body. Anders didn't understand what sort of spell a Qunari could conjure nor why the Saarebas would do such a thing for someone not of the Qun, but he wanted to trust him, and waited patiently for the outcome.

A long moment passed before Hawke's eyes began to flutter back open. She felt Ketojan's arms still cradling her as he was hunched over as if waiting for her to awaken. Once he saw that Hawke was conscious he spoke to her with his calm voice again, "You interfered and in doing so saved my life. You have honor," The others went silent as Hawke looked up at him just in awe of him and what she had just experienced, "You are Basvaraad and worthy of following, even though it was wrong. You've caused me to refuse the will of the Qun. Punishable by death, and yet I owe you a debt," Ketojan spoke to Hawke as if becoming bound to her, but there was a conflicted manner behind it. She forgot that before her interference he was ready to die which seemed to bring her more into the present as her eyes opened a bit wider then. He leaned into her a bit more so that she would listen to him, and she never tore her eyes away, "But I know the will of Arvaarad, and must return as demanded. It is the will and wisdom of the Qun."

Ketojan used his powers on Hawke's wound, healing it enough for her to return to standing as he still held on, making sure she could stand on her own. The feeling was foreign and unlike a typical healing spell. She had never expected such a healing spell to possess such a feeling of affection behind it, along with warmth that spread throughout the rest of her body. Ketojan's healing spell was unexpected and didn't feel like anything she would associate with the Qunari, being the barbaric culture that they clearly were. Her heart was racing and feeling his strength against her was shifting her feelings into a frenzy. Letting go of her softly, Hawke relished his gentle touch as if she would never feel them again, even though the mere thought of that seemed to damper her spirits. He began walking away from her while she stood in almost disbelief, but Hawke took off after him quickly, trying her best not to limp from the pain at her side since even magic couldn't fully heal a wound like that, but it certainly would grant her time to get it treated properly. She knew exactly what Ketojan intended to do. Anders attempted to stop her, but she shook off his grip immediately. Her group let her go on her own, since this was a matter of a personal nature now. They watched and waited while her and Ketojan walk off with Anders left unsure of her hastiness to get to the Saarebas.

"So what now? After all this, and after what just happened, you still want to die?!" Hawke tried chasing after him down and demanded a better explanation. She couldn't fathom his fateful wishes of his people. How could anyone believe this was the best choice?

"I do not want to die, I want to live by the Qun," Ketojan replied sounding hasty and a bit confused.

"That means dying?!" Hawke spoke desperately, grabbing his arm to restrain him from walking off.

Ketojan looked down at his former leader and savior, feeling her sympathies towards him, understanding how hard it was to feel the sense of loss she was going to feel. He felt for a moment as well, that she meant something more than just a Basvaraad for which he was unaware. But it was too late for him to venture onto that rode, and was uncertain as to what that meant or what it would do to him. Uncontrollably, he met her gaze, and her eyes were glistening from emotions from the pain that she felt powerless to control. He was unable to look at her in the eye for long after he began noticing the yearning expression she was giving him for some reason unknown to him. It was that very expression that caused him to become scared of what was happening to him.

"Is that so hard to understand?" He replied firmly, so as to intimidate her slightly, but Hawke was as stubborn as a Malbari.

"I couldn't let Arvaraad kill you, and you couldn't let him kill me. Does that mean nothing to you?" Hawke asked without much thought. It stung Ketojan deeply knowing that she was right.

"And in doing so does not make it right. It was a selfish act that needs to be addressed. I have made my decision. It is bred in the bone," Ketojan released his arm from her grasp and continued walking away. He tried hard to abandon the Qun for a brief moment, but the control it had over him was powerful and hard to break free from. Hawke wasn't about to give up on him. She took off and ran to catch up to him again, blocking his way to stop him, and ignoring her injury.

"Existing is not a choice!" Hawke shouted strongly as she pressed her hands against his stomach with the palms of her hands to stop him which almost startled the Ashen skinned Mage. Anders could only watch and hear them from afar, feeling sorry for this creature, but mostly for Hawke. He continued to eavesdrop.

"It is to be!" Ketojan barked back with his teeth sneering at her, which jumpstarted Hawke's heart as she dropped her hands to her sides, clenching them into white knuckled fists. There was a small ounce of silence for a moment as they stared at each other.

"Could you have returned if we had come to a better arrangement with your Karataam?" Hawke asked resulting to small talk, with her last desperate attempt to prolong the inevitable that she wasn't coming to terms with just yet.

"No," Ketojan replied as if it meant no difference, because there was no better arrangement to be made with the Karataam.

"Then you knew you were doomed from the start?" Hawke pointed out the obvious and was getting so red in the face from anger that Ketojan had to look away until he could find the next words to say which took a bit of time to help Hawke understand.

"I abandoned my Karataam. I may be corrupted. I do not know. I cannot allow myself to roam free if that is so," Ketojan tried to reason with Hawke, but that certainly wasn't a good enough one for her, especially now, and it was spread clearly over her face.

"Of all the spineless, shameful, and ridiculous bullshit excuse from another mage I've ever heard!" Hawke cursed allowed at his excuse. Hawke couldn't let him go, holding her gaze at Ketojan; she was too determined. Ketojan stepped in closer to her, but with a more threatening demeanor than he ever seemed capable of as he towered over her. Hawke returned his leering scrutiny back at him through her expression.

"What reason do you have, Apostate? What makes you better than I to keep others safe from my cursed existence? You've come to the belief that mages have a will of their own, and yet can give in so easily to demons. I know what plagues you're friend and that is precisely the reason that mages need to be confined and protected. It is not my way to say otherwise," Ketojan spoke prominently. Anders heard his name being called by the Qunari, but didn't want to interfere; only from the look Hawke was now giving the Qunari was for him, making Anders feel a bit discouraged. But Hawke's beliefs rang as true as Ketojan's and refused to give him the satisfaction of his death.

"What about going back to Sister Petrice, surely there is another option?" Varric chimed into their conversation as he somehow managed to get up closer to hearing them, reminding everyone of how this entire mess got started. And the trail leading to the Qunari team was no accident. Hawke was set up from the beginning which Hawke had known all along, but was content in them thinking she was duped.

"The 'Sister' was not honest." Ketojan finally revealed, not that it was not obvious from the beginning.

"W-what do you mean?" Hawke asked, even though she sensed Petrice's dishonesty she still wanted more information as to why she set this whole thing up.

"I cannot say what she wanted, but it was certainty not of the Qun, and her guard smelled of death," Ketojan was explaining all this in a way that it was a sort of relief. Hawke finally could hunt that bitch down for toying with her morals and somehow knowing that Ketojan had distaste for the Templar who was guarding her. It did not bode well either way you sliced it. Hawke kept trying to convince Ketojan.

"There are other Qunari that live free from the Qun; in the Free Marches. You could join them." That thought raised an eyebrow, his loyalty to the Qun was too strong to accept that as a possibility, but her desperate attempt to free him from death made it difficult to not find her ideas intriguing, "They are not my kind, I am Qunari, and they are not. I lived my life hunting them down."

"But they are free," Hawke argued again.

"Free? Abandoning who you are is not freedom. They deny themselves of who they are. I cannot choose to 'Not Be'," Ketojan was growing tired of their quarrel as he caught Anders watching Hawke and him arguing back and forth, wondering when Hawke was going to give up.

Anders looked at Hawke in the eye, and mouthed her to let him go and she winced at him, shaking her head. Anders wasn't sure why she was becoming so passionate about keeping the Saarebas from committing himself to death. Why deny him of his choices, Hawke? He asked himself. He sighed out of sadness for her, seeing how defeated she was beginning to feel.

"I won't allow you to do this!" She practically screamed at him. Accepting death as Ketojan's fate was something Hawke was just unable to do.

Unexpectedly, she remembered what he called her just moments earlier: "Basvaraad; A leader worthy of following?" She knew very little of the Qun, but knew enough to figure out some sort of loophole. The gears inside her brain began to click and turn, attempting to con him into staying. She'd rather bind him to her rather than lose him completely to the Qun that would only bind him in death.

"Then I evoke my right as Basvaraad!" Hawke nearly shouted.

Ketojan stepped back in puzzlement of what she had just declared not knowing in the slightest if it was even something she could do. Hawke could feel everyone's eyes fixated on her now. She went to the body of the fallen Arvaraad and picked up the rod from his lifeless hand that had unbound Ketojan from his shackles.

"Saving you meant that I now have a responsibility for you, and you owe me your life. You said so yourself, that you are indebted to me. That's the demand of the Qun that you had stated before is it not?" She openly questioned his beliefs and Ketojan didn't know how to respond to this, nor knew if this was admissible.

He had to admit to himself that he felt a bit relieved. His will of the Qun began to fade a bit as even Hawke managed to find one small detail to what had taken place here. But at the same time he still felt bound to it. His efforts to punish himself began to diminish when he saw Hawke standing before him with rod in hand. Maybe remaining by her side would be an acceptable and practical option without feeling ultimately dishonored. If acknowledging her as a respectable Master was recognized and accepted by the Qun, then maybe his death wasn't eminent and he could use this chance to redeem himself for his abandonment. Could this be allowed? He had never encountered this nor been given the option.

"You wish to act as my Arvaraad?" Ketojan asked rhetorically, unsure of the consequences. Hawke nodded quickly; still unsure of what she had just demanded while holding up the rod and just looked troubled. Everyone in her party had watched in awe as Hawke declared her intentions for the Saarabas, but never objected; even Anders was left flabbergasted by what was happening right in front of his eyes. Ketojan knew she needed reassurance knowing she lacked the confidence to back up her demands. In efforts to aid her Ketojan began declaring his allegiance to her, "That was never an option I would have pondered before, nor have others of my kin. None have ever _volunteered_ to act as a Master to Saarebas, but if you feel you are wanting of such a task, I am not in any position to disagree with Basalit-an who has evoked such a right. If you deny me my punishment, and accept the Qun to spare me from death, then it is to be," Ketojan suddenly knelt before her willingly.

He looked up at her and saw that Hawke was smiling. She couldn't believe what she did would even work. His loyalty was definitely strong, but was he truly bowing down to the will of the Qun, or did he see through her loophole and weaved it towards his advantage to keep himself from dying? Regardless, Hawke didn't care. She motioned her hand for him to stand. Ketojan was hesitant at first, but stood up while the rest of the group watched in amazement of their new companion.


	3. Chapter 3: Returning Home

Devotion

Again, I do not own Dragon Age; its characters, and/or ideas and I've extracted a bit of the in-game dialogue for accuracy.

Chapter 3: Returning Home.

Ketojan and Hawke stood in silence for a moment as they all returned to Kirkwall that early morning. Hawke was unsure of what to do from here. Strange glances were given from Anders the entire way home which was unsettling for Hawke, but she couldn't help but marvel and take pride in her efforts this evening while she couldn't stop glancing at the new Saarabas in her care. When the rest of her companions parted in Darktown, Anders made it a point to tell Hawke to watch her back, and to be careful, and closed with the compliment insisting that only a capable and brave woman like her could talk a Qunari into joining her cause, even if she did swindle it. Anders gave her admiration, and she nodded kindly and gratefully. Before she even knew what was happening, Anders kissed her softly on her cheek from under the threshold of his clinic, and quickly retreated before she could say a word. Hawke touched where Anders just pressed his lips, blushing a bit as she began leaving Darktown with Ketojan.

She then watched as Isabella and Varric left for "The Hanged Man". They both insisted she come to them for anything else if Hawke needed, leaving both Ketojan and Hawke alone for the first time. For just an ounce of a moment, Hawke was beginning to understand Petrice's cries for help in getting a Qunari mage off her hands, but never could it have gotten this complex. Hawke was sure of that as she looked up at him timidly. She shook that thought out of her head since it was immediately backed to the relief of following through to giving him his freedom. However, if she was now his _Basvaarad_, what was she to do now that she had him? She didn't even want to claim him as a possession to begin with; she just desperately didn't want him to be taken from her at the time. Now they stood in awkward silence for a good long while. Hawke looked up at him as she scratched her scalp, in hopes that he would have input on the matter, but he remained silent.

"So, Ketojan; I can still call you Ketojan, right?" Hawke began to ask with friendly curiosity, but remembered that calling him Ketojan was more of a formality. Hawke was reluctant to start asking him a billion questions, but figured she'd spare him the experience. Ketojan gave her slight nod, "I don't exactly know where to go from here, quite honestly; I didn't think it through?" Hawke spoke truthfully as Ketojan just stood there waiting inside the awkward radius they both stood in. Hawke just waited for him to respond. She acted on impulse and found that she didn't think too far ahead or consider the outcomes.

"What's there to know? I belong to you now. You tell me where to go and I'll do as you command," His tone was laced with slight reluctance, and even though those words sounded hypocritical to her own beliefs, the thought sent ripples through her spine for some freak reason. If that was really true, she didn't want to start thinking about what she could actually make him do. And hearing him mentioned he belonged to her in his strong baritone voice was definitely making it difficult to think straight. She began to wonder if she cared more for him than she originally thought which she immediately shook from her mind. Now was not the time to think zealous thoughts over a Qunari, so she started to pace back and forth while Ketojan watched her intently.

"Well, I would've left you with Anders, but he has enough trouble with Templars at his doorstep. There's Merill's, but she would talk you to death and want to use you as some sort of science experiment," She continued to list off her options as she kept pacing in front of him as his eyes followed her, "Fenris is going to be furious when he finds out I brought you back; I don't even WANT to think about what he'll say when he finds out. And staying with Varric or Isabella at the Hanged Man would draw way too much unwanted attention. There's Gamlen's house in Lowtown but he'd get one look at you and see a perfect bargaining chip; I doubt I could even trust him with a hamster," She thought she heard Ketojan rumble a soft chuckle as she caught a glance at him out of the corner of her eye, but he remained still. She thought long and hard until she realized the obvious option, "Well, I guess there's no other option other than having you stay at my estate," Ketojan said nothing, but he kept his attention on her, "I know it will seem strange, and it's probably not a good idea either to keep you in Kirkwall with me, but if we get you cleaned up and give you a change of clothes and a different look, it'll be easier for me to keep my eye on you and away from harm. I've seen Tal Vashoth mercenaries around Hightown lately so it wouldn't be that out of the ordinary," Ketojan seemed to cringe at the naming of the Tal Vashoth, which Hawke had expected, but she would later digress that it would only be for appearances and nothing more, "I know that's not exactly ideal, but it's just as a precaution, you understand? And if anyone has anything to say about it, then they've got me to answer to," Ketojan nodded and seemed to appreciate her determination, "Great it's decided then." She grabbed him by the arm unexpectedly and lead him quietly and cautiously back to her estate.

Everywhere in Kirkwall was asleep, soundless for the most part, and the streets were cast with shadows with only the moonlight to show Hawke the route back home. Luckily for the two of them, they managed to arrive at Hawke's mansion without any trouble with the Guard or bandits to get in their way. Hawke opened the front door silently as she tiptoed inside with Ketojan following at her heal as quietly as he could despite his size. Surprisingly to Hawke, Ketojan was as discreet as a mouse, didn't even wake up her Malbari sleeping soundly by the fire while she led him through her home and quickly proceeded up the stairs to her bedroom. She glanced behind to see that Ketojan was looking a bit uncomfortable at where she was guiding him to, but Hawke didn't know where else to take him without making a ruckus and waking the entire house. Besides, Hawke figured she had her own private washroom to take care of the grime and treat the wounds they both had suffered during their ventures without causing a scene. Ketojan wasn't fighting her lead as it was clear he would simply follow her anywhere. Hawke couldn't help but feel awkward because to anyone else this would've looked rather promiscuous, but Hawke completely disregarded those ideas out of her head immediately.

Making it to her bedroom, Hawke led Ketojan to her washroom and sat him down on a chair by the tub and immediately began to treat his minor cut on his upper arm. Even though she had magic within her she didn't specialize in healing, but she knew a thing or two on how to mend a deep cut, so she stuck to the old fashion way of treating abrasions and the like. Hawke began using a special salve that Anders had made for her which smelt sweet with elfroot as the aroma filled Ketojan's senses. He sat and watched Hawke as she concentrated hard on the cuts, even though he could have done it himself, but it seemed like she was adamant about helping him, and he was in no position to resist whatever Hawke wanted. So, he sat patiently as he let Hawke treat his minor wounds which was quite a new experience all together. He couldn't remember a time nor had he ever been taken care of from being the cursed and feared creature that he was when he was with his Karataam. He was never given much of anything other than demands or being yanked by his chains into submission by his Arvaraad.

But Hawke was not acting as such, and Ketojan hesitantly allowed her to do what she desired as she began dabbing the surrounding scratches round his massive bicep with a cloth of hot water that she had lightly heated up over the burning flame of the small fireplace. Even sitting down, Ketojan nearly sat almost a foot taller than her as she sat in a chair next to him with keen concentration while she mended his cuts and bruises. His guard was down when Hawke scooted closer to him. He suddenly became rigid as he saw that as she took her own seat in front of him and between his parted legs without a second thought, which made him uncomfortable, but she didn't seem to notice. When Hawke leaned into him without a worry, he retracted instantaneously with the tension in his muscles tightening and making it clear she overstepped some bounderies. Hawke sat up in surprise, realizing too late that she invaded his personal space by accident, not remembering how little they knew each other, not knowing what to expect, so she tried to reassure him, "It's alright, I'm not going to hurt you. I just want to take the threads out," She spoke so delicately, but Ketojan resisted when she brought her hand up for another attempt but he snatched her wrist in a firm grip, resisting her help. Hawke stared at him for a moment, and couldn't help but feel awkward and a bit embarrassed around him, but eventually she figured that he had not been given treatment like this before. She knew little of his culture and didn't give it a second thought to begin treating him as an equal or even as a friend when he probably didn't even understand the concept.

"I'm just trying to help you," Hawke pleaded firmly.

"I would not consider that wise," Ketojan warned with her wrist still in his clutch.

"If you're going to be staying here with me, we're going to have to clean you up a bit. I don't want the Arishok or Viscount knocking at my door if I'm caught harboring a Saarebas," Hawke tried to reason with the Qunari, but he didn't seem at all convinced.

"If I am to act as Basvaraad's Saarebas, then it is required I should not be given the right of free speech, to ensure I do not succumb to demons or act on my impulses," Ketojan's words made Hawke want to roll her eyes; she _wanted_ him to act on his impulses, and she needed him to see that she respected his beliefs to some degree, but also wanted to free him of his shackles one thread at a time, but it seemed that Hawke wanted his freedom more than He did. Showing him a new way of life was going to be tougher than she thought.

"If I'm going to be acting as your Master, then I do not require that you don't speak. I want you to have your voice," Hawke's genuine words seemed to spark some curiosity in the Qunari mage as his mouth twitched on one side.

"I am afraid I am unfamiliar of how Bassalitan treats her mages here in your city," Ketojan admitted, and settled his nerves a bit.

"I mean no disrespect to you Ketojan, but I'm going to release you from this collar? However, Living with me makes you an Apostate, regardless if your demand is to the Qun. If anyone here so much as sees the magic in your eyes, they'll arrest you and throw you into the gallows, and that is something I do not wish to happen to you, so I need you to trust me," She pleaded with a pause, "Do you trust me?" She found herself asking, looking up at him with her big blue eyes piercing through his mask and into his.

Ketojan's jaw tightened and gulped down the lump within his throat, "I do."

Hawke beamed a smile, "Good, now just sit still and if it hurts I'm really very sorry."

Ketojan was growing even more confused when he heard her premature apology as he allowed her to enter his personal space once more. Hawke leaned in and placed her gentle hand under his chin and began taking the threads out of his partially sewn mouth with tiny forceps then dabbed the sweet smelling salve on the thread holes around his lip. He could feel her hands tremble while her hands worked their magic, and she could see his chest rise and fall with each steady breath he took, since the both of them were clearly feeling nervous. She had expected him to flinch while she pulled the threads, but he sat perfectly still and calm. No longer cringing at Hawke's touch or the closeness of her, was when he began noticing her more; the curves between her torso to her waist and hips, almost feeling obliged to touch and grab her by the hips then, but banished the thought immediately, thinking, "why am I feeling such thoughts for my Bassalitan?" Thank goodness she couldn't read those feelings in his eyes. Hawke made the finishing touches when she then took notice of the mask he was still wearing, and she anxiously wanted to take it off of him; he hadn't since they returned from the Wounded Coarse.

"I'm going to take this off of you now; your mask, and…collar," She figured it wasn't customary to tell him, but she didn't know what else to do.

"If that is what you command," Hawke blinked in amazement by his sudden shift in compliance and then looked at the bulky collar attached to his shoulders.

Ketojan saw in her eyes that she seemed hurt by the thought of how he had been treated a majority of his life. He knew she was a free mage, which probably didn't deem her worthy of being an actual Arvaraad, but Ketojan was still in her debt none-the-less, making it clear that he needed to understand her better. When Ketojan saw the pain in Hawke's eyes, he understood that his appearance upset her, so he eased into her, repositioned himself, and sat at the edge of the chair in preparation of what he assumed she would do next. Hawke looked stunned by this.

He tried to reassure her that he was not going to resist her by settling his shoulders and spoke gently, "It just feels odd to be told not to wear them. I cannot refuse the acts of my Basvaraad. If you want them removed then do so."

Hawke did not enjoy being called "Basvaraad"; it made her feel too much like a Templar, and she despised most of them. However, she did not want Ketojan thinking this was a bad decision and finish what he had intended to do in the beginning back on the Wounded Coast. She didn't say a word of protest and began with the collar, detaching it from around his shoulders, and lifted it over his head. It was heavier than she had expected and threw it on the ground next to him, which made an incredibly disturbing noise as it hit the floor. Hawke cringed at the sound it made; hoping no one was woken up by it, but the house remained silent. Hawke brought her attention back to Ketojan and saw how natural he looked; almost human. Hawke marveled at his naked and muscular shoulders, remarking the indents the collar had left on his skin from having been attached to him for so long which had to have felt even a little bit liberating. Hawke wanted to be glad for Ketojan as she witnessed his release from captivity and finally break away from the heavy chains, hoping there was some rush of excitement, to feel the air rush against your skin for the first time in forever. But Ketojan just sat there impassively. Maybe it was because he was still masked and she couldn't read his expressions very well from underneath it. She then sat at the edge of her chair facing him closely, and slowly bringing her hands to his broken horns where the ties to his visage were attached. Hawke felt the grooves and the rough surface of what was left of his horns that were ripped from him, and felt around for the knots that kept the mask in place. Hawke found both ends of the strings and inch by inch she pulled them away, grabbing at both edges of the golden mask. She looked down for a brief moment, not sure why she was becoming so hesitant of what she was doing and saw that Ketojan began to breath heavily again. He then placed his hand over hers, touching her surface of her fingers to hold the mask in place and keep it from falling from his face. Unsure as to why she was becoming so emotional she let in a breath of much needed air to ease her thudding heartbeat. Suddenly she could feel him resist again. His arms had tensed up and saw his nerves twitch below his jaw. Was he frightened to have her see his true face? Hawke didn't care what was underneath the mask; she just wanted to liberate him from his prison.

"Please, Ketojan, just trust me," She gently placed her free hand against the softness of his cheek in hopes to make him feel less uncomfortable and to express how much she cared for him.

As if being hypnotized, not only did it manage to work, it nearly made his heart explode. He took a deep breath just as Hawke had before and relaxed again, dropping the hand away from hers and down to rest on either side of her forearms. She took the mask with both hands and pulled it carefully away from his face, revealing his true façade. Unprepared for what she finally could see, Hawke saw that his face was actually beautiful; prominent, and not as aged as his brethren even with the few scars scattered across his complexion. Qunari had a way of looking much older than they seemed, and their emotionless disposition never helped, probably over the wear and tear of traveling, fighting, and being barbarians. Somehow, with Ketojan, his face was different; he was actually rather attractive as far as Kossith go and his features were clear from any aging. It didn't come to much of a surprise; being a mage slows the aging process, so even if he was older he still looked younger than most Qunari.

His eyes were as black as night, but had a unique amber colored glow within the center of them that whirled hypnotically with enchantment, causing Hawke to gaze into them longer than she intended. This was her first time she'd been so close to a Qunari, let alone a Sarrebas, so it was a lot to take in all at once. She was now able to see his entire visage, which was a new experience that Hawke felt proud to witness. But Ketojan looked almost scared, especially with Hawke so close and looking into him as if searching deep within his soul and had no intent to abuse him in any way. He wanted her to look away, afraid of the feeling pounding within his chest, but he couldn't refrain from staring into hers, for he saw that Hawke too had magic within her eyes which illuminated with violet smoke billowing within her irises. She then let go of the most beautiful smile he had ever seen as clear as crystal and yet there was a pain that remained that Ketojan could barely see but knew it existed.

"There you are," Hawke said softly with a kindness that Ketojan was not accustomed to, "now doesn't that feel better?" Hawke patted a friendly hand against his shoulder as she dropped her head with an unknown sense of melancholy that had Ketojan concerned even though he had no clue why. She got up quickly from her seat. He continued to watch her as she gathered his unneeded wares, leaving him nearly quivering with apprehension that he was unfamiliar with and it wasn't from the draft coming from the window.

She then turned to face him from the other side of the room, speaking with a much more serious tone, "I left you some pants that may fit you. I didn't have much except some old cloths that belonged to my brother. The water in the tub is hot for you if you wish to wash up; I'll be close by if…you need anything," Hawke ignored any informalities he would object to, not sure if it was because she was finally noticing how exhausted she was after such a long day, and kept trying to remind herself that Ketojan didn't see himself as a guest, but she left before he could say a word to her, shutting the door behind her and leaving Ketojan alone in his confusion.

A moment past while Hawke had time to change out of her mage robes and into her casual night attire, and prepping the floor for Ketojan to sleep for now until she could find a better solution, buying her time when she could explain his stay to her mother, Bodane and Sandal. She had a fire going as the flames bellowed up through the chimney, getting the room comfortably warm. She closed her curtains and secured the door so there would be no surprises in the morning. A good hour passed as the door to her wash room creaked open. Steam poured out from the doorway and into her bedroom. She stood up from adding more wood to the fire, seeing that Ketojan was standing outside the door. She watched as he stepped out of the washroom and closed the door behind him. His snow white hair was damp from the bath while strands clung to his neck like ivy. He was half naked, and wearing nothing but the pants Hawke had given him that fit him surprisingly well considering his size. Hawke stared alluringly, getting a good look at his gorgeous ashen skin which seemed to glow like marble from the firelight.

Seeing Ketojan without his armor and smudged body paint nearly had her fall to her feet at how beautiful he truly was. Trying not to notice, she felt herself blushing, and tried to blame it on the fire, but that was her heart lying to her. The longer she lingered at his physique the more she wanted to launch herself at him and run her hands all over him. He was looking more appealing by the second. Never had she ever had much interest in Kossith due to their behaviors, but Ketojan was something else entirely, neither Qunari nor Tal Vashoth. Those were just titles they had given themselves to refuse the other. Somehow Ketojan became someone of interest to her and she hadn't much control over the feelings brewing within her heart. Hawke could no longer deny her sudden attraction for Ketojan as she had a hard time distracting herself of the new fantasies that began to play out in her head; wondering what it would be like to feel his massive body against hers and what he could actually do with it. She knew there had been a connection the minute they fought side by side in the Under City, and the moment they both decided to protect each other from his former Arvaraad. But Hawke was feeling discouraged, knowing that there was no future there, even if there was chemistry between them. Hawke needed to keep her head straight and not let her feelings for Ketojan get in the way of logic, because the truth was that Ketojan was a Qunari and there was no room for Love in the Qun, nor would Kirkwall understand this infatuation.

She let out a long resounding sigh trying to banish her stimulating thoughts and began feeling light headed all of the sudden, swaying a bit from dizziness, but paid it no mind. "Just a long day" Hawke whispered to herself as she continued to stare at the blazing fire. She looked over at Ketojan who started walking towards her with a look of worry on his face, meeting her by the hearth and glancing at the makeshift bed she had laid out for him. He looked at it puzzled, but then back at Hawke. Seeing his face transition to different expressions was a pleasure that Hawke kept to herself, but ignoring the fact that his worried look was genuine. She looked at the bed she had made for him and then back at Ketojan.

Hawke began to explain lazily which caught his attention instantly, "I know this looks odd to you, but until I can explain this to my Mother and Bodane, I can't have you roaming the grounds. No offense to you, but you may…"

"Frighten them," Ketojan finished the sentence as he stared down at her with a look she didn't quite recognize which was an odd feeling considering that was one of her many talents, "I don't frighten you?"

Hawke turned her head to the flame wanting to drown to the sound of his voice, but could see out of the corner of her eye that his face spoke of sadness and then went calm as he looked at her with meaning behind his eyes as if trying to coax her into looking at him. Seeing his gesture made Hawke feel tense but with a sense of fulfillment and was relieved that he didn't take his own life. He raised a hesitant hand to touch her shoulder which was definitely unexpected. When catching a glance up at Ketojan, Hawke was hoping he was feeling the same burning attraction that she was having, anticipating he could read her mind and see her fantasies to then start ravishing her. They were both beginning to breathe steadily with anxiety, his hand never leaving her shoulder as he began to involuntarily brush it mildly with his thumb, taking her into his eyes. He wasn't sure why he wanted to do this, but for Ketojan he was feeling over indulgent for a moment and she didn't seem displeased by his actions, so he continued to linger. He looked down at her appearance as if for the first time since they'd met, but could see her more clearly without hiding behind the mask of his imprisonment. He knew she wanted him to be free, and her insistence somehow moved him into wondering what else she wanted.

Hawke gave him a shy smile after trying her hardest not to notice his fingers moving tenderly over her shoulder, "Never. You would just startle them only because they're not expecting to see a Qunari running free in the house; that's all. Don't worry; you'll fit right in. Sandal's surly going to love y…" Ketojan was about to let go of a genuine grin, but before Hawke could continue reassuring him, she recoiled from the pain at her side. She collapsed to her knees so fast that Ketojan could not break her fall, but Hawke suddenly grasped onto Ketojan's leg for support as she fell. Ketojan was startled by her sudden outburst of pain as she kept gasping in agony. Ketojan soon bent down, noticing that the laceration from Arvaraad had opened up as blood began to bleed through her cloths rather quicker than it should.

"Hawke, you are severely injured," Hearing him speak her name for the first time was like being toppled over by a tidal wave, not expecting him to ever break from calling her his Basvaraad. He had slight fear in his voice that was new to her; similar to the moment he attacked Arvaraad on the Wounded Coast. That moment fleeted when the pain in her side was more than she could bear, "I shall get your healer?" Ketojan was about to leave in a hurry, but Hawke grabbed him to keep him from leaving her.

"No! It's okay Ketojan. I'm alright; I just need to lie down," She whimpered a bit as she spoke through the pain, attempting to get back on her feet. The last thing she wanted was to start up a scene and cause madness to ensue, denying the generous amount of her own blood dripping onto the rugs. Ketojan disregarded her denial and had begun helping her to her feet, but the moment when she managed to stand up half way the pain became overbearing. Hawke wheezed in discomfort as she began to collapse once more, but Ketojan caught her before she could hit the floor this time. She nearly passed out, but could barely stay conscious to the point where she couldn't keep herself from collapsing. Ketojan scooped her up in his arms, carrying Hawke over to her bed. She could barely feel his colossal arms around her, and even though the pain was unbearable and not exactly how she imagined this evening would end, the feeling of his touch was sending her mind in a wander. Ketojan placed Hawke carefully into her bed, and then leaned over her. He called her name, but she couldn't make out the words, feeling his hand touch forehead for any signs of a fever; she was scorching. Hawke couldn't hear much of what Ketojan was telling her. It was as if she was being submerged in a pool of water. She suddenly felt like she was on fire, while Ketojan took it upon himself to pull her night shirt off to properly observe the wound. When Ketojan lifted her top she saw that the wound was much deeper than he had expected and it was getting infected. He didn't know what to do but use some magic to kill the pain and stop the bleeding a bit, but it was not enough to get the infection out.

"Forgive me Hawke," Then what happened next nearly caused Hawke to nearly awaken, but she was too disoriented to object.

All she could do was groan and looked down only to see the top of Ketojan's head. But she didn't need to see what was happening to know that his lips were pressed firmly against her laceration, and had begun sucking out the poison from her wound, and spitting it out into a basin bowl from the washroom. The pain was unbearable, but the feeling of his strong mouth against her skin was even more insufferable, but incredible at the same time, and he seemed quick and determined to get the infection out himself. She trusted him with her life and tried to remain calm and laid still. Without warning, Hawke began to writhe in pain, but Ketojan had a firm grip on her to keep her from moving too much. She jerked away much of what was left of her energy and closed her eyes tight, and could hear the sound of her blood being extracted and spewed out like water being spilled from a vase. Then it all went dark and Hawke passed out.

Hawke had a nightmare about her Saarebas. Watching Ketojan's entire life flash before her eyes; from birth to death. Starting from his birth she saw the joy in his mother's face turn to horror as he began to glow with a gold light, finding out that her newborn son had been born a Saarebas. The father had cursed in Qunari tongue and grabbed his own son by the neck and casted it aside tossing him to the midwives, shouting out demands of anger that his own blood was cursed by magic and that evil had plagued his family and accused his wife of being weak to demons, killing her without question. The Mother cried and sobbed as she watched her baby being taken away by the nurses as she was being butchered in her own birthing bed. Hawke cried out in despair as she watched her visions quickly flash forward to when he was first branded as Saarebas. Getting shackled, mangled, and saw his mouth get sewn shut. His horns were ripped off by the Arishok himself. He was beaten and leashed for being what he was. How could they do such a thing to him? Because, they had allowed it! Then it flashed to her fate. She stood in front of Knight Commander Meredith; chained and bound like a Saarebas. She was about to be forced getting her own mouth sewn shut by Meredith herself, when Hawke was woken up and breaking in a cold sweat.

She tried sitting up quickly from the horrors of her nightmare, but the soreness on her side kept her from doing so. Blinking her eyes awake she saw that her room was glowing from the faint light of dawn peeking through the drapes. It was then when Hawke heard the sounds of steady breathing coming from the floor, and quickly remembered what had happened the night before. She wanted to sit up and peer over the edge to confirm her memories to make sure she wasn't dreaming, but the pain at her side denied her the ability still. She looked down and saw a bandage wrapped intricately around her waist. She admired the amount of care that was put into it and let go of a caring smile. She figured Ketojan was lying asleep on the floor of her bedroom, and wanted to see what he looked like in such a peaceful state. Desperate for a peek, Hawke rolled herself onto her good side, thankful the cut was not in the way of her curiosity.

She looked over the mattress to find Ketojan's massive body huddled to one side on the floor sleeping soundly. He looked almost comfortable if it wasn't for his incredible size. His head rested above the pillow she had set down for him the night before. There was a sense of calmness about him that Hawke found almost adorable. How easy could it be for Hawke to reach over and touch him? Before her brain could tell her no, she found herself reacting out to him, taking a few strands of his ivory mane and tucked a few of them away from his face and behind his knife shaped ears. He didn't seem to notice it, and continued to slumber. He had been lying there next to her the entire night? It felt nice having him here though, acting as if she had a guardian watching over her, even though he was clearly sleeping. She didn't want that moment to end, but didn't want to fall back into her nightmares either. She allowed Ketojan to rest as she lay on her back, and just started staring up at the ceiling.

Visions of her memories of the night guiding Ketojan through the sewers had begun flashing through her reverie, trying to make sense of the situation and how quick Ketojan was to act as her protector. She hadn't understood what had possessed him to trust her, and the way his mood had shifted the moment she took the collar off his shoulders. He had acted differently when they stood together by the heat of the burning fire before she had collapsed. That was when Hawke remembered him extracting her infection; the image was hazy but remembering the touch was almost like she could feel it happen all over again. She knew he hadn't done it under any sort of sexual circumstances, but Hawke couldn't help but feel a heat rise between her legs.

She had to get up. Hawke was feeling disgusted with herself for being so naïve, and ignorant of what she was actually trying to fabricate in her mind. She struggled to sit up but managed to get her feet on the ground, and walked towards her window. She pulled open the curtains to let in the early morning sunlight taking in the grand view of the Kirkwall skyline. She looked back at the Qunari that lay on the floor of her bedroom, wondering if he would ever understand the desire she now possessed for him. This all had escalated quickly with her feelings for Ketojan growing by the second; she began to remember the kiss that Anders laid on her back at Darktown before they parted ways. She nearly had forgotten about his affections for her that were becoming clearer by the day which were starting to seem desperate to be reciprocated. Hawke began to feel a bit guilty of that, and suddenly felt uncertain of her feelings for him despite their numerous flirtatious encounters that seemed only playful to her. When Anders had kissed her, she began to feel like maybe she had flirted with him too much.

The moment Ketojan came into the picture, there was this sudden shift in how she was feeling about everything. What was she going to tell Anders? That she was falling for a Qunari Saarebas just overnight? Hawke heard a barrage of yeses ring in her mind which suddenly made her angry. Why did this have to happen? Love was never supposed to play a factor in that mission, and yet there he was, lying on her floor and wishing she could just run over to him and wake him up and lavish him with kisses. With an unknowing magical force, Hawke ripped her curtains rods out of the wall which sent a slight pain back to her side. "Shit!" Hawke screamed at herself. The noise caused Ketojan to wake up instantly, and noticed that Hawke was missing from her bed. He turned and saw Hawke on the floor by the window with the torn curtains lying around her as she sparked and resonated with energy and light; having one of her many magical mood-swings.

"Hawke!" He was there beside her before she could blink, "You should be resting," He began to grab her arms to help her up. Hawke was still angry with herself and a bit embarrassed. She groaned and mumbled profanities at herself aloud while the heat rose in her cheeks. Ketojan helped her to her feet and walked her back to bed as she sat down with Ketojan sitting close beside her and his hands on her shoulders to steady her. It made Hawke's hairs stand up feeling his massive hands as he tried to keep her stable so that she wouldn't disturb her current injury, "You need to lie down," He ordered her, which Hawke found intriguing. She looked at him with curiosity while he lifted her shirt again without a care and checked under her bandages to make sure the stitches he had made hadn't gotten loose or torn open. Hawke couldn't remember him stitching her up last night since she passed out before she could. Ketojan closed up her bandage once more, and as snug as possible. She then began to think maybe he was simply returning the favor for when she patched him up in her washroom. Whatever his reason was, she certainly didn't want him to stop looking after her. Hawke shook her head from her daydream, and tried to lighten the mood a bit for her sake as well as his.

"It hurts like a malbari bitch!" Hawke cursed, which made Ketojan smile a laugh slightly out of the corner of his mouth. Witnessing his amusement was a gift to witness as Hawke returned the smile. She went to press her hand against the bandage, but Ketojan grabbed it firmly before she could. Hawke's heart raced by his sudden grip and at how near he was to her.

"Don't touch it," Ketojan demanded with a deep low tone. She finally could see his true expressions without that mask to hide them. She saw his determined look in his eyes which seemed desperate to keep her safe and Hawke admired this about him. Hawke drew her hand up and away from her injury, setting it behind her so she could lean back a bit.

"It needs to heal," Ketojan instructed with annoyance looking right in her eyes.

"Yes Sir," Hawke teased, not expecting him to get so irritated with her.

Ketojan blinked after hearing her calling him by a foreign master title. He sat back in his realization of what he had done. Acting insubordinate to his master was something he had not planned on doing as if he had felt no accountability for his actions. All he really wanted was to help Hawke; so that she would remain safe. She had attempted to peeve at her stitches that he had spent nearly all night basting out of care and concern for her. Her careless actions had gotten him irritated and that's what made him scold her without thinking about it. The feeling of having thoughts of his own, and acting on his impulses suddenly scared him.

"That was disobedient. I-I apologize," Ketojan expressed his regret but struggled with his response.

They sat about a foot apart now. Hawke put her head down, keeping him from seeing her face so flushed. Ketojan began to look at her differently that morning. He no longer saw Hawke as a Basvaraad, but as one to protect with his life and not because he labeled her as Basvaraad, but because he had a true desire to do so. Ketojan saw how desperate she had been and how adamant she was about taking care of him as a friend rather than property. There wasn't much else to understand, and was too nervous to express these newly found emotions he began feeling, remembering the night before; next to her by the fireplace and how the fiery glow illuminated her skin. There was a certain look she gave him when he had touched her shoulders; similar to the look she gave him at the Wounded Coast that seemed so unfamiliar to him at the time. He had never felt a feeling like this before; to have a level of affection for someone else. Ketojan ran a hand through his long ivory colored hair as a reaction to the awkwardness lingering between them.

"Let's get one thing straight Ketojan," Suddenly her voice swam in his ears as he began to hear her voice differently this time. He turned to look at her as she was sitting up straight, shoving him with the heel of her hand. Normally that sort of contact would've irritated him, but it hadn't when she did it, "I know what I said back at the beach about becoming your Basvaraad, but I refuse. I can't live with myself feeling like I own you like property. You need to start _believing_ that you don't belong to anyone any more. I know you wanted to die after we had killed your Karataam, but I just couldn't let you. I would've done anything to keep you from doing such a thing!" Hawke found herself speaking her mind and nearly shouting at him. Tears began to flood her eyes. He sat motionless as he took in every word that she spoke as if getting rained on by a beautiful siren song. She was confessing her feelings just out of the blue, and he wasn't prepared for them, "You had saved my life on multiple occasions; twice, before we met your Arvaraad. Second, when you took care of me last night when I could've died; you didn't have. That means something to me; _you_ mean something to me, and I think I mean something to you too," She dropped her hands to her sides clenching her fists tightly, dropping her head.

Hearing those words Ketojan got up briskly from the edge of the bed and grabbed her shoulders with his hands, and pulled her into his arms. He held her with his enormous body as tight as he could without hurting her. Hawke's heart stopped, and felt so small encompassed by his embrace. Ironically she froze; she had wanted him to do this since they had arrived here, and now she didn't know how to react. He held her so close she finally gave in and sunk into his arms, resting her head against his wide chest and finally wrapped her arms around his lean torso. Ketojan smelt sweet of Andraste's Grace oil she had laced the tub with; not only did it sooth sore muscles it also had a very alluring aroma, and it absorbed into his pours and Hawke had a difficult time focusing on anything else. Feeling her body against his, Ketojan felt a heat rush through them both. He ran one hand through her silken raven hair and held her waist in the other, and rested his chin on her head. They stayed there for a good long moment, not saying a word but just listened to each other breath and feeling their hearts beat wildly.

"I'm not ever leaving you Hawke," Ketojan vowed, giving her a slight squeeze.

Hawke couldn't tell what was happening or why, but she didn't want the feeling to stop for a second. It was a gesture of understanding, and she was relieved when she felt him express his reaction to what she said. Without even a word, he was able to respond to her, letting her know his appreciation and admiration for how much she cared for him; no questions asked. There was an unmistakable bond between them, and even Ketojan couldn't hide or deny it now. This rush Hawke was experiencing was cataclysmic, and had to stop their affections before they could get any further into confusing. Regardless how much had progressed between them overnight, Hawke needed to keep a clear head if she was going to confront Petrice about what had happened on the Wounded Coast yesterday. Hawke wanted answers for what had transpired there, knowing she will most likely deny any and all allegations and simply blame it on the Qunari and gloat that she was right. Hawke could not allow Petrice to exploit their barbaric behavior. As much as it was hard to disagree with Qunari beliefs, it was not the Sister's place to make decisions to further the actions of others. These matters between the Viscount and the Arishok were sensitive, and she didn't need some fanatical Chantry Sister destroying all the hard work Hawke had put in to settling a treaty of peace between them. Hawke had the understanding that you can't force anyone to do anything, but you can _influence_ them. Hawke needed to make sure Petrice knew this.

Hawke drew back, peeling away from Ketojan's embrace. He looked down at her with his hand still cradling her head. Hawke was blushing being in this position with him, wanting so badly to place her lips against his. Uncontrollably, her heart continued to race when she saw how much Ketojan loomed over her with the hungriest of stares. Hawke bit her lip and tried to look away, but his hand kept her from doing so. Instead she just sat there with her face just inches away from his and felt his other hand leave her waist only to caress the skin of her cheeks and brushing his thumb along her jaw. So many thoughts ran through her head, trying to distract herself from Ketojan blissfully touching her and not sure why he was doing so.

"Ketojan," His name escaped her lips in efforts to snap him out of whatever possessed him to trace his hands delicately against her skin.

Hawke felt him leaning in closer to her, with his nose now touching hers. Hawke closed her eyes feeling the closeness of him, petrified of what he was clearly wanting to do to her. With his enormous hand he let it slide down to take the back of her neck and pulled her face even closer. He was about to claim her mouth when a knock at the door came just as she could barely feel his lips graze hers, causing Hawke to jump back with her eyes widening with panic. Ketojan quickly took to the washroom, as a way to hide himself from the unwanted company who wasn't aware of his stay. It took Hawke a long moment to realize what was actually happening; still in utter shock that Ketojan almost kissed her. Confused and frantic, she heard her mother call to her from the other side of the door as she jiggled the handle trying to get inside.

"_Merion_? Merion Hawke, are you in there?" Her mother called out, still trying to bust through the door.

Hawke hurried towards her bedroom door, catching a glimpse of Ketojan peeking through the door of the washroom. She motioned him to stay put and to keep himself hidden as he nodded again in agreement, but did not shut the door. After a few frantic knocks from her overbearing mother, Hawke finally opened the door for her. Thanks to Hawke's ghastly appearance, Hawke's mother saw her daughter look like absolute hell and her mouth gaped open at the sight of the Hawke she once raised to act like a lady. Now all Leandra could see was a battered and beaten down stranger; all her oldest of three lived for these days was to seek a fight or an excuse to defend the people of the city who she owed nothing to. Leandra began to worry for her daughter, like any loving mother would, but seeing her constantly coming home with bruises, and from what Leandra saw wrapped around her waist; Hawke didn't seem too bothered by taking home serious injuries either. Leandra could do nothing but scour at her oldest, and shook her head in disappointment. Hawke leaned her forehead against the door, just dying to hear the start of her mother's nagging.

"My dear it's only because I love you so much that I'm only going to say this once," Leandra spoke calmly placing her hands down to try and compose herself and prevent any sort of irrational behavior that would end up scolding her disobedient child that she knew would be just a waste of breath, "I would very much appreciate it, if when you go out in the middle of the night to seek out trouble, you could come back in one piece. I see that's becoming difficult for you to do. Look at you; you're a mess," Leandra had to throw in a little bit of criticism for good measure, but Hawke was still surprised only to hear the subtleties of her request, rather than her usual barrage of shouting.

"I'm very sorry Mother," Hawke's apology was the best she could do as she ran two hands through her black sharply cropped hair. Her mother let herself in without much care to what Hawke thought about it, and began to make her daughters bed.

"I know you only mean to act bravely sweetheart; you have much of your father in you," Hawke smiled at those words, taking them as a compliment, but her mother didn't return the smile, "And that's what got him killed Merion," and Hawke's smile fell, "You have to pick your battles my love, not tackle each and every one of them that comes to your doorstep." Leandra made a good point, but Hawke was as stubborn as a dwarf, not wanting to believe she was as reckless as everyone perceived her to be.

"The Mages of this city need my help mother; no one has been daring enough to stand up to the Circle. I've had it with the Templars, and the fear they bestow onto every Mage in this city has got to come to an end. If it starts with me; then so be it. It isn't right for them to persecute us for what we born to become. It's not a curse like they believe, it's a gift. Those mages who succumb to demons are no different from any other psychotic who results in murder, rape, or thievery. It's the system that creates them. I need to show the example that we are not a force to be reckoned with, or to be feared and cast aside like animals to be caged. Not all Mages are evil; we are not ticking time bombs," Hawke couldn't help herself but begin her passionate speech, realizing too late that she had gotten carried away.

Leandra simply gave Hawke a proud look, knowing only too well how her daughter felt about the conflict between Mages and the Circle; Hawke's father was an Apostate. Leandra was also aware that the situation she and her family were in was tentative, but she just didn't like seeing her daughter come home in bandages, or worse, either arrested or dead. Hawke saw the fretful look on her mother's face and went over to give her a warm and reassuring hug. Leandra smiled at her daughter and returned the embrace. Ketojan was eavesdropping from the washroom and could faintly see them through the crack between the door and the threshold. Hearing Hawke's speech moved him in a way he was never quite sure he could ever feel. It never crossed his mind that most mages had been treated like animals for thousands of years, and yet the comparison had made sense to him then. He saw in the corner of the washroom, his old collar and chains that bound him, before Hawke had released him from his life of servitude to the Qun. What did that make him now?

Hawke had told him earlier that he was now an Apostate; did that mean he was now Tal Vashoth? He knew back on the Wounded Coast that if he truly denied his death that he was ultimately abandoning the Qun, and that only proved that he was no longer Qunari, and a Kossith in exile. Ketajan didn't understand why this didn't just anger him, he spent his entire life hunting his own kin for not accepting their beliefs, and yet now that he was accepting this to be who he truly was becoming, it almost came as a wave of relief. No longer did he have to be dragged by the chains of his Arvaraad; no longer did he have to be muzzled like a dog he was once compared to. Hawke had given him a way out of that life, even when he never imagined such a thing was possible. It allowed him to admire his true nature, and what he was now capable of doing on his own.

It was as if an epiphany struck him like lightning. He peeked through the opening of the door to observe Hawke and her Mother's conversation once more, now admiring the relationship the two shared and unable to contemplate the memory of his own. Hawke's concept of family was also a new experience he was witnessing, and not quite sure how he would approach Hawke's mother if he was ever given the opportunity. He had sworn to protect her, which meant being with her for good, and not exactly sure if Hawke truly understood what that meant. He then flashed to the moment when something had made him want to kiss her. She was so beautiful and the words she spoke made his heart ache. She confessed that he meant something to her, and he didn't know how to respond. But the way she looked at him, and tears she was shedding on his behalf, made him desire to do the unthinkable. Ketojan never once dreamed of acting on impulsive desires, suddenly becoming concerned and wondering if this was the work of a demon, but how could it when Hawke was being so endearing and harmless? Hawke hadn't an ounce of selfishness in her heart and only treated him with respect and as an equal since the moment she laid eyes on him. There was nothing demonic about that, or how it made him feel.

Whatever he was feeling for her now needed to be tamed; he couldn't lose control around her even if he wanted to. There was an understanding that his sudden change in behavior was as a result of all those years of suppression, as a precaution he needed to keep his affections for Hawke at a distance until the appropriate time came when he could act on them if she was willing enough. Much of their attachment happened in such little time that he didn't want to rush into anything that they both would inevitably regret later, for they still barely knew each other. Keeping a level head was crucial at this point.

"I love you my Darling, now let me fetch Sandal to bring you some hot water for a bath," Leandra insisted which broke Ketojan's current train a thought.

Ketojan caught sight of Hawke's mother about to walk towards him, but heard Hawke quickly intervene while he took a moment to hide on the other side of the door as quick and silently as he could. Hawke managed to step in front of her before she could reach for the handle, trying not to look too obvious that she was hiding an enormous Qunari in her bathroom. Leandra crossed her arms and raised a suspicious eyebrow at her.

"No mother I already took a bath last night when I came home. My bathroom is in such disarray, I do not wish for you to go in there. I'll have Bodane take care of it later; please don't trouble yourself. Unless you can tell him for me and allow that I get dressed, I would be ever so grateful," Hawke managed a surprisingly convincing lie, watching her mother nod and turn as she shook her head, wondering how she raised such a clutter nug.

"Alright Darling but don't be too long, Bodane made a lovely breakfast this morning I'd hate to see it get cold," Leandra took to the door while Hawke led her out.

"Yes Mother I'll make sure to have some. Maybe I can bring some to my friends. I'm sure they would enjoy Bodane's cooking too," Hawke suggested politely which made her mother smile.

"Oh well aren't you thoughtful. That's a great idea my dear I'll go and prepare some baskets for you to take with you," Hawke's mother grinned with delight and left Hawke's room eager to help Hawke with the task. Hawke shut her door and locked it behind her, letting out an exhaustible sigh.

"Maker, I thought she'd never leave," Hawke commented as she leaned her back against the door.

Ketojan heard the coast was clear and stepped out of the washroom seeing Hawke by the door and hunched over in relief that her Mother didn't find out about the Qunari in her room. He went over to her as she caught his enormous form shadow her. Hawke looked up at him with a smile of relief, wiping the sweat from her brow. She was still in her night clothes and Ketojan politely looked away as a courtesy even though Hawke was not very modest about her body or her current condition. She was comfortable around him that she didn't care to notice what she was wearing.

"That was close," Hawke put a hand to her chest, then stood up as straight as she could, taking in a few more collected breaths without tugging at her stitches. Hawke thought for a moment as she realized it was going to take a lot of sneaking to get the Kossith out of her house without anyone noticing, and another to get him through town. She had her plan once they exited Hightown, but getting him out of Hightown was going to be a challenge among many more to come, "We both need a way out without Mother seeing you. I don't really want her to know you're staying with me just yet," Hawke explained the situation, ignoring their almost intimate moment they had shared earlier.

A thought struck him then while Ketojan stood before her, patiently waiting for her to work out the plan in her head. He didn't have much knowledge of the streets of Kirkwall other than when he was once allowed to roam the Qunari compound, so he was at an utter lost to the rest of the city, but it seemed she was more concerned about how she would lead him to wherever she wanted to take him.

"I don't have anything that could conceal you; I have no cloak or armor that could shield your appearance," She paced back and forth like she had when she tried to figure out where to take him last night.

Hawke began rummaging through her wardrobe trying to find anything of good use, but found nothing. While articles of clothing flew randomly through the air, Ketojan concentrated letting in long and calculated breaths as he cast a spell, completely cloaking him with invisibility without her noticing. Hawke turned in frustration and blowing loose hair away from her face and placing her hands on her hips. She blinked several times as she scanned her room, noticing that Ketojan was nowhere in sight.

"Ketojan?" Hawke whispered peeking around the bedroom; checking under the bed and in her bathroom, finding nothing, "Where did he go?"

Hawke took a few more turns, confused on where he could be. Suddenly before she could turn around again Ketojan reappeared just inches in front of her, startling Hawke so much that she pushed him slightly which seemed to do nothing but the opposite, since he was so huge and placed firmly on the floor. This made her stumble back on her feet a bit and she couldn't help but let go of an amused smile.

"By the Maker Ketojan, you never told me you could go invisible," Hawke asked completely bewildered.

"Does Hawke not know how?" Ketojan asked her.

"No. Hawke does not know how," she laughed in respond, "but if you could do this all along why did you need assistance getting out of the city? Couldn't you have just gotten yourself out? Avoid the entire ordeal all together?" Ketojan looked at her puzzled. Hawke asked without thinking of the fact that if he had done that, they never would have met, but he understood the lack of logic it had to have appeared, and she was obliviously curious.

"Being bound as Saarebas keeps certain abilities at bay. There were many forbidden spells that…I was not permitted to use when under Arvaraad's control," Ketojan explained, "It uses a lot of…my power; I…am only able to cast it for a brief time," Hawke looked impressed and found it interesting how he was struggling to speak for himself for probably the first time ever in his life.

"What else can _you_ do?" Hawke found herself getting overly curious and when he passed her a glance she had a look that seemed almost devious. Ketojan couldn't help but let out a self-assuring half smirk and stepped towards her carefully.

"Many things," He replied in his very low voice that seemed to make Hawke melt. He touched her chin flirtatiously between his two fingers, tipping her head up to look straight into his majestically exotic Kossith eyes. Hawke bit her lip and began blushing immediately.

Ketojan blinked and let out a cough to break the sudden urge to draw nearer to her, just as he had previously. It was as if Hawke procured some gravitational orbit that was constantly pulling him in. How easy it was to forget everything he had required himself to do. He had to keep his distance. The two both dropped their gazes. Ketojan took his hand away from her face, still unsure where these small acts of flattery were coming from and how he could even know to even do them; acting on blind instinct again. They both looked away from each other awkwardly about the room until Hawke finally glanced back up at his towering Ketojan, staring at his features for a moment and admiring his broad physique and finding that she rather enjoyed his new sense of flirtation. Exchanging these moments of affection, as brief as they were, were cherished firmly within her heart even if they were in a bit of denial. Hawke didn't need anything to happen right away, but she was content with the innocent philandering for the time being. Hawke walked away, running a hand through her hair again, leaving Ketojan standing there just as confused as her.

"We need to hurry then, if we are to get you to the Black Emporium. It's a bit far, and I'd rather you stay concealed the entire way there if we are lucky," Hawke instructed.

Ketojan listened intently as she quickly began changing into her Mage robes. Ketojan couldn't help but watch her undress out of the corner of her eye; sliding her arms into the sleeves of her vestments, and placing her legs in a pair of tight breeches had hugged her bottom perfectly which set Ketojan's chest and groin on fire. Before she could turn he drew his face back so that she wouldn't catch him ogling at her. She was just finishing tying up her bracers, when he stood up from leaning against the wall.

"Is Hawke prepared to leave?" Ketojan asked, and Hawke smiled when hearing that he had a difficult way of arranging his speech.

"Indeed _I_ am," Hawke smiled warmly, "Is Ketojan ready?"

"I am," Ketojan replied.

"Good, let's go," Hawke was about to open up the door as she watched Ketojan whirl his hand in the air with a steady breath when he suddenly disappeared in a blue mist. She smiled brightly by this, "Incredible!"

"Hawke is impressed," Ketojan's voice sounded like a distant echo as faint as a whisper, but Hawke could hear it as clear as glass; she nodded, "I'll be right behind you…Hawke."

He was catching on rather quickly, and Hawke was feeling proud of his progression; no longer was she his Basvaraad, and she was grateful. She opened the door to her room and took off down the steps, seeing that Bodan and Sandal were already preparing for Hawke's departure. Her mother was nowhere in sight. Bodane had caught her eye and greeted her with a bow. Sandal was playing with his runes scattered around the carpet, smiling innocently at her, and her Malbari hound was asleep by the hearth of the fire just where she had left him the night before she left.

"Good Morning Messer. I trust you slept well. I saved some left over meals to break your fast. That is of course you have the time," Bodane sounded almost insistent, and Hawke had almost forgotten about her "promise" to her mother she would have them. She sent an impatient grin down at Bodane and she just let out a sigh as if he had been prepared for whatever excuse she was preparing to give, "I figured you were on your way out, so I put together this satchel for you. I threw in some rations for you so that you may take with you. I must insist you take the time to eat sometime today Messer," Bodane handed her the satchel of provisions and just returned a guilty smile his way.

"Thank you Bodane, you do more than I deserve," Hawke commented, which made Bodane a bit bashful.

"Now now Messer. There will be none of that. I live to serve you as a way to pay off my debt for saving my son, anything I do for you is because you showed us a kindness," Bodane replied, making Hawke realize she had been doing that a lot lately.


	4. Chapter 4: Transformations

Devotion

Again, I do not own Dragon Age; its characters, and/or ideas and I've extracted a bit of the in-game dialogue for accuracy.

PS: This is the shortest chapter yet!

Chapter 4: Transformations

Hawke was out the door before she could face the wrath of her mother, and had rushed through the city with Ketojan following close behind her, calling out to her to make her know he was still in her presence. Hightown was busier than normal, having to dodge and weave through crowds and oncoming traffic carts. A few patrons of the city tried getting her attention several times, but Hawke ignored each and every one of them until she reached the passages to Low town. Ketojan nudged her by the shoulder to make her aware he was still there next to her as she advanced onward. She led him through the darkest alleys of the dust covered city and he wasn't sure where she was leading him. All he remembered was that she called it the "Black Emporium" and he was reluctant to expect what he would find there. He knew she intended to conceal his appearance from the rest of Kirkwall, but he hadn't thought about how she could manage such a difficult act. She didn't want people to know that he was a Saarebas so that they could avoid any altercations with other Kossith or authorities. But Ketojan thought that Hawke wanting to portray him as a Tal' Vashoth was even more interesting to him, considering he was in the eyes of the Qunari. However, he knew what she meant and what needed to happen, and continued to trust her decisions. He was prepared to do anything for Hawke.

They had arrived at a black wooden door with a sign above it that read "Black Emporium" which was the indicator that they reached the right place, but it wasn't painted black. The door had been burned so black it looked as though it would disintegrate into dust right in front of them with just the slightest touch. Hawke whispered a series of words that Ketojan did not recognize, which seemed to make him nervous as he watched the door dissolved into nothing, revealing a long corridor leading into darkness. Ketojan's heart nearly stopped when feeling an icy breeze pour out from the entrance, sending chills down his spine. Ketojan dropped his veil, and Hawke felt his physical presence return as it cast its usual shadow over her. Ketojan stood next to her not sure he really wanted to step over the threshold just yet. Hawke was about to step forward, but was stopped by Ketojan grabbing her shoulder.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Hawke turned to him with a weak smile; puzzled.

"This is where Hawke wants me to go?" Ketojan asked worriedly.

"It's alright. I know this must look questionable to you, but I can promise there is nothing to fear here. You have my word," Hawke promised, taking his hand in hers to reassure him, but he didn't look at her, just straight into the darkness ahead.

"I believe you," Ketojan felt her hands squeeze his enormous one, as much as she was able to. He looked down at her.

"C'mon we need to make this quick," Hawke took his hand and began leading him inside.

She led Ketojan over the threshold and down the long and twisted walkway that creaked and moaned at every step. Ketojan was so enormous in comparison that he could barely fit through the passageway, thinking at some point he would break the bridge with each step he took. Somehow they both managed to make it to the other side and Ketojan found himself in a rather large room with high vaulted ceilings held together with black wooden beams and one window as it's one and only light source. The air was dense inside, almost as if it was deep underground or hadn't been used in centuries. At the center of the room ahead of them, there was an altar placed there and inside was a corpselike mummy sitting in a grand chair. The skeletal figure had multiple limbs that held his face in agony, while holding a cobwebbed covered book with its other set of hands. The image of this sitting form unsettled the mage as Ketojan eyeballed it for a long time until he saw there was a name written on a plaque below the feet.

"_Xenon the Antiquarian"_

Hawke walked confidently ahead as if she had been here countless times before, while Ketojan took his time admiring and awing at his surroundings, hadn't seen anything like this before in his life. There were plenty of tables and chests scattered around the shop, filled with and array of different potions, books, and other mysterious looking wares. Ketojan had ascertained that this was clearly an underground store where one could buy and trade for forbidden goods. Had Ketojan not chosen a life of exile, he would've had the Arishok burn this place to the ground for what it was. Anything like this found in the Saharan would have you tortured and executed in an instant. But fear didn't keep Ketojan from finding the place equally fascinating, and continued to browse through the shop with a burning curiosity. In one corner he saw a large statue made of stone that looked almost human, covered in all sorts of crystals and glowing markings. Ketojan stood close to it and observed it quietly, before he could reach his hand to observe it, a voice called out of nowhere.

"_You can never have enough socks_," An ancient man's voice echoed through the air, which actually startled Ketojan that he backed into an adjacent table, knocking over a few items. He searched for where Hawke was, and she was admiring a set of gloves she had pulled from a chest not seeming to care what was speaking out of the air.

The sound had come from the center of the room as Ketojan sauntered up to meet her while she continued to shop. She seemed to not even notice what was just said aloud, which confused Ketojan greatly. He then noticed a little boy sitting patiently by the entrance where they had come from, wondering how he could have missed such an odd contrast to this strange and shadowy place. Hawke saw Ketojan staring at the boy, and how uncomfortably scared Ketojan was now expressing; she took him by the hand again which caused him to jump slightly by her touch.

"Don't worry, that's only Urchin; he helps care for the owner of the shop," Hawke enlightened as he shot a glance down at her and only asked with his eyes what he was doing here. Hawke smiled, "C'mon this way," she smiled and pulled him to follow her once again and led him in front of an enormously tall mirror, even big enough to fit his entire gargantuan figure. She gave him a soft shove forward, insisting he stand right in front of the looking glass.

"Hawke brings me here to stare at my reflection?" Ketojan questioned her intent, but before Hawke could answer, she was interrupted by the elder's voice.

"_Do not stare too intently at that…on the other hand, please do_!" the primordial voice asserted. Ketojan looked at Hawke, not understanding what that voice meant by it.

"Where are we Hawke?" Ketojan needed more answers.

"This is the 'Black Emporium'," She replied simply, giving him a warm smile.

"I know _where_ I am; _what_ is this place?" Ketojan almost sounded upset, which Hawke caught instantly. She should've known better than to keep it from him, but she was worried he'd refuse her before she could give him a chance to experience such an unordinary and enchanted place.

"It's an unusual shop which deals in magical relics and specialty wares for Mages. It belongs to none other than that man sitting right over there," She spoke softly and motioned towards the corpse in the center of the room. Ketojan's eyes followed as he suddenly became a little bit more disturbingly curious, "Long ago, Xenon was once a nobleman, in search for eternal life. He had come across a Witch one day as she agreed to grant him his wish. Unlucky for him he asked for never ending life instead of never ending youth. So his body eventually corroded over time, and only his soul remains. He claims he's over four hundred years old, which is how he acquired all these rare artifacts," Hawke's story chilled Ketojan to the bone as he observed the statue in the center, then back at the Mirror.

"And the Mirror?" Ketojan wondered, looking at his own reflection, trying with all his will to trust what Hawke wanted him to do.

"This is the 'Mirror of Transformation', it will allow you to change your appearance however you will it," Hawke stood next to him, with her hands resting against his arm and the middle of his back, staring at his reflection along with him. He didn't seem to understand the reason behind such a rare artifact, but he still managed to raise his brow towards it and wondering exactly how such a device could work.

"Enchantment," Ketojan mouthed carefully.

"I know it's not exactly what you had in mind, but I figured this would help conceal your true identity for the time being. I wouldn't want the Qunari, or worse, the bloody Templars to see your broken horns. It's one thing to be an Apostate here in Kirkwall, but as an Apostate Qunari? That's a bit more difficult to camouflage. I can assure you that it's not permanent. It's only until the Mage and Qunari disputes in this town have settled enough that it won't be much of an issue anymore. For now, having you pose as a primitive Tal' Vashoth is about the most convincing option we have. You can be hired as my sworn shield. It's believable enough that it could keep them off our backs," She paused as she looked down for a moment, preparing for what she was about to express next with Ketojan staring at her attentively, "I just want you to be safe, and make sure no one comes after you at every turn. Do you understand?" Hawke's explanation was honorable, and he trusted her without question, but Ketojan was skeptical of this enchanted mirror.

"I understand," Ketojan replied after a good long pause as he observed more of the mirror.

"Great, now all you have to do is stare into the mirror for a good moment. Look at yourself and just conceive in your mind how you wish to look. You can look young, old, handsome, or grotesque; it doesn't matter as long as you will it so," Hawke instructed.

Ketojan did as she had coached, and looked inside the mirror at his replicated face staring back at him. Making himself appear as perfect as a newborn babe seemed pointless. First, he looked at the scars around his face and thought it best to keep all but the thread marks that circled around the perimeter of his mouth. He watched the holes start to blur and disappear, leaving nothing but smooth and flawless skin. He then took sight of his broken horns, remembering for a split second the day his Karataam had stripped them from his head when he was a young boy, forced to wear his muzzle and chains for what he thought would be the rest of his days. Looking at his damaged antlers had always been a constant reminder of how he had been treated his entire life. It was then when he finally became open to the idea of getting his horns back, even if they were fabricated through the use of magic. Ketojan was a giver of magic, and as an unforgettable gift from Hawke, he was going to be allowed a second chance at becoming something he never dreamed he could be.

Slowly he watched as his new set of horns began emerging out from where they were torn apart. Inch by inch all four of his horns grew and twisted outward into four sharp points, finally revealing the magnificence of them. Standing behind Ketojan, Hawke marveled at how long they had protracted from his skull, almost as large as the Arishok's. She had to blink several times before she could recognize the Qunari Mage she first came to know, and took a moment to acknowledge his new transformation. Ketojan could not believe what had just happened. Without any thought, he reached up over his head and with his hand he ran his fingers against the newly extracted horns. They felt remarkably real, and maybe they were, for at least they had re-grown and Ketojan could barely tell they had ever been ripped apart in the first place. They appeared almost brand new, and the weight of them felt heavy which exhilarated him.

"Wow," She responded without thinking while looking at him through his reflection. Hawke reacted in awe and didn't know what else to say, because he looked incredible to her. Hawke never knew just how beautiful the Kossith could be, but she couldn't help but admire their physical features, especially Ketojan's, and she was amazed at just how sculpted their race truly was, "The Maker truly blessed you Ketojan," Hawke added with a coquettish compliment.

Ketojan turned to her, giving her the most charmingly flattered smiles she had never witnessed from any Qunari before, "I must admit that I'm stunned by such trickery," Ketojan was definitely impressed, and Hawke had enjoyed witnessing the enthusiasm within him.

"Do you like them?" Hawke asked with uncontrollable curiosity.

"I want to say I'm grateful, but I'm afraid that feels inadequate," Ketojan's unique response made Hawke smile making him smile in return.

"So that's a yes?" Hawke questioned with a laugh, finding his choice of words to being too pretentious; even though it was one of the many traits she had come to enjoy the most about Ketojan.

"Yes," He reassured with a half-smile and short bow, which seemed to trigger Hawke into throwing her arms around his torso in a tight embrace. With a delayed reaction Ketojan hesitated, watching and feeling Hawke's head rest gently against his broad chest like she had the first time; he adored the feeling. She hadn't paid much attention the last time she was in this position, but she suddenly noticed that his body was surprisingly comforting as she squeezed him, feeling his warmth against her cheek. Not knowing for sure of what to do, he let go of his hesitation and reciprocated her actions, wrapping her small body in his massive arms and clutched Hawke possessively with no intention of letting her go. It was then Hawke decided there was no place she'd rather be.

As much as it pained her to do so, Hawke finally let go of Ketojan, and slowly backed away to compose herself, but his hands were still placed lightly against her back. Hawke couldn't help but desire to kiss her Qunari Mage again, but her nerves kept her from attempting such things, and reality decided to set back into her mental state. She still wasn't sure how Ketojan truly felt; whether or not if his affections were just actions of expressing his gratitude and nothing more. There was still much to do and prepare for, and keeping herself sane was the smartest plan. She still had friends to tell about her new companion, and a certain radical Chantry Sisters to have a "conversation" with. Before Hawke left her estate, she received a letter from Varric who had stumbled upon a missing persons' poster in High Town, and to meet him at "The Hanged Mad". Hawke shook her head to get herself back into work mode. As much as she hated to admit it, Hawke felt that she needed to consult her friends about Ketojan first and foremost, despite the ridicule she would receive from a select few. If anyone asked further, she'd just tell them she placed him at Gamlen's house to work for room and board. Hawke explained her plans to Ketojan before gearing up to leave, and he understood her concern and obliged without restraint. Before Hawke and Ketojan could prepare to leave, the old voice of Xenon called to them.

"_Insurance lies within that chest on the floor_," the Antiquarian inquired them.

Both Ketojan and Hawke looked at each other with confusion, and then took notice of the chest sitting on the floor as it opened on its own. Hawke was quick to look inside while the new Ketojan bent forward to oversee what she was searching for. Hawke stood up and pulled out a Grey Warden uniform and armor which, conveniently enough, happened to be around the same size for her Kossith friend. Hawke turned to face Ketojan, revealing to him his new disguise which had turned out much better of a cover than her original plan. However, Ketojan raised his brow in confusion, not sure as to why Hawke was beaming even brighter than before. She handed him the new set of wares, as he politely took them from her.

"This works out so perfectly," Hawke managed to read Ketojan's skepticism, "It used to belong to a Grey Warden I'm assuming," She revealed.

"Does Hawke mean for me to wear these?" Ketojan asked, holding the Tunic against his long and lean torso.

"I think it would work best. Now if anyone asks, we can just tell them you're a Grey Warden," Hawke explained clearly to him which he seemed to understand as he began to throw on the tunic halfway through her sentence.

The Blue and silver colors that donned the Warden uniform suited Ketojan better than Hawke had thought, and the metal chest plate and paldrons rested snuggly against his massive upper body. Hawke began assisting him with his grieves to help speed up the process where she looked up watching him fasten his shiny new bracers. Once all of the pieces were set in place, Ketojan seemed to look even larger than before, even when he had that atrocious Saarebas collar around his shoulders. Ketojan now looked much more significant, not someone anyone should question or treat like an animal; not unless you wanted to lose your head. With this disguise, no one would dare question a Grey Warden of their intentions; only to assume they're ventures would be primarily Darkspawn related. That's when the backstory struck Hawke. She stood and faced Ketojan, grabbing his arms to begin explaining her strategy, quickly admiring his new and more official attire because he now looked more like a gallant soldier than a caged Qunari. Hawke quickly snapped herself out of it.

"So you're now Ketojan; a Grey Warden traveling to Kirkwall to investigate the Darkspawn that have been lurking in the Deep Roads for the past couple of years, and I've agreed to assist you in the whereabouts since I had recently come into contact with them during my recent expeditions to which the Darkspawn had tainted my brother Carver, who was also sent away to join your cause; you're here to do some further investigations on the matter," The mentioning of Hawke's brother sparked curiosity with Ketojan, after seeing Hawke's eyes stray from his at the mentioning of Carver, but Hawke just turned her head back to him with a convincing smile.

After helping Ketojan with his new wares, her and Ketojan left the "Black Emporium" and took to the streets of Lowtown together, now less concerned about people intervening against them. People would surly remain in awe and stare at him when we pass them by, but not because he was Qunari or a Saarebas, but as a prominent looking Grey Warden. Hawke was rather quieter than before, and her newly transformed Kossith at her side was sending her concerned glances every few steps. He noticed she kept her head down at her feet as she was zoning out into deep thoughts. His steps were heavy next to hers, but she didn't seem to acknowledge his presence at all. Ketojan couldn't help but wonder what Hawke was troubling herself with; she seemed so excited just moments ago. Now her mood shifted, and Ketojan had a feeling it had something to do with her Brother.

"Is Hawke alright?" Ketojan asked kindheartedly.

Hawke corrected her posture instantly and looked over at Ketojan, "What? Oh, I'm sorry Ketojan. Yes I am alright," She answered, but Ketojan didn't seem convinced.

"Is Hawke's story true; about your brother?" Ketojan couldn't resist questioning Hawke.

It took a while before Hawke could answer, "Yes."

Ketojan did not respond to Hawke at first; his silence seemed to be enough for her, but Ketojan placed a hand on her shoulder before Hawke could notice. When she felt his warm palm rest tenderly against her, she looked at him with a timid smile.

"You're worried for him," Ketojan asked as more of a statement; Hawke nodded. "My apologies; I'm sure Hawke's kin is safe," Ketojan expressed his sympathies, and Hawke covered the clawed Qunari hand that touched hers, and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

"Thank you. Now c'mon, there is much to be done," Hawke smiled trying to keep their moment of silence short, and continued to walk ahead of Ketojan. As he took a moment to observe her, Ketojan began to admire and respect her more than before. Her resiliency impressed him momentously, and her determination to fight for those she cared for was stirring something inside his heart. Yet, he knew deep down Hawke kept her despair locked away, for those she had lost along the way. He needed to make sure that it was acceptable to express your woes from time to time, and he wanted her to know she could trust that he had no intentions of making her feel that way for him realizing he almost had.


End file.
